Shall We Dance?
by Some Scribbles
Summary: AU. ROMY. Rogue is a government agent working with an elite team of mutants in order to ferret out mutant criminal activity. They've been called in on a special case regarding something called a Thieves Guild. Can she take down the Prince of Thieves?
1. What's the Harm in One Dance?

**Disclaimers of Various Shapes and Sizes: **

I don't own any of these characters. If I did, this would be in a comic book.

I don't know French. Foolish mortal that I am, I studied Spanish. But what is Gambit without French? Other than…never mind. So I'm using Bablefish for anything French that you see. I don't know if it's right or it's wrong, but the translations will always be on the bottom.

This is my first time writing with these guys, though I've loved them from afar. I've decided to plop them in a universe where neither of them has joined the X-Men and where the world is marginally more tolerant to the idea of mutants. Enough so that the government is willing to sponsor an elite team of mutants to keep an eye on other mutant's doings… So I'll be borrowing characters from various good guy/bad guy character pools and making them work together because it's AU and I can. But if there's something that those characters do that seems really out of character for them (other than their existence), please let me know.

**Code:** 'psyche speaking,' :telepathy: and /flashback/

* * *

Chapter one: What's the Harm in One Dance? 

It was part of her procedure. Every time she entered a new city, she spent the majority of the day combing through it, finding all the secret entries and exits that she had memorized, searching for hideaways that maps never covered, absorbing just a bit of the very essence of the city. By the end of the day, she could pass for a native. It was her job, and she was very good at what she did. But a couple of hours after dark, after making sure that she could find the best marks at night as well day, she left the streets.

It wasn't hard to find the best-kept secrets of a city's nightlife. You just had to keep your eyes open and be observant. And--like other things--awareness of her surroundings and drawing conclusions from them was something Rogue just couldn't shut off.

Still, as Rogue entered _Devil's Dare_, she wondered what made this club so special. The walls were alternating panels of red and black. The bar was ebony and L shaped over to far right of the club. She had to admit that the arrangement of the dance floor--slightly higher than several hidden alcoves--was unique. Small metallic tables were situated around the dance floor as if they were branches to the floor's trunk. People cluttered the tables, clustered around the bar, and a couple with disheveled clothes parted the black hanging curtain of one of the hidden alcoves.

Rogue smirked, _Convenient._ Then she deliberately tugged her black gloves tighter around her wrists. Rogue took a deep breath and let some of the tension of the day slide off her back. Then she fixed an indifferent smile on her face and stepped into the whirling lights of the club.

Rogue felt more than saw the attention her entrance caused. Sometimes she wondered if it was because of her looks or because she entered these clubs fully covered. Oh well. Another one of life's unsolved mysteries.

She didn't look at any of the gawkers as she made her way to the dance floor. She wasn't here for them. She wanted to dance, to let the music overtake her body and soul. The music pounded the air around her, loud and insistent. She brushed off several men who asked her to dance with an icy glare and made her way deeper into an unoccupied square of the dance floor.

Rogue stood there for a moment and let the air throb around her, rich with heat and sweat and music. This dance, this first dance, was always for her. After that, depending on her mood, she might dance for an audience, with a man. _Let them want what they can't have,_ she thought, _after all, misery loves company._

Rogue took another deep breath and wiped away all thoughts of her limitations, of her 'gift,' and she let the music wash over her. She closed her eyes. Almost without realizing it, her body began to move. Then she relaxed into the dance. Slow, sensual, wild, passionate, free--she danced.

XXXXXXXXX

He hadn't seen her when she came in, and he was kicking himself for it. If he had, then she wouldn't be dancing alone right now. He could almost feel her pressing up against him now just thinking about it. He took a long slow drag of his cigarette, completely ignoring the 'No Smoking' sign posted directly above his head.

Still, he reflected, if he was dancing with her now he wouldn't be able to watch her like this. Once more, he slid his gaze over her body. Black riders boots, tight black jeans that left little to the imagination, a gauzy green shirt that flared the wrists over a white spaghetti strap tank top. All the right curves and grooves in all the right places. Her hair was unique; he wondered if the white streaks framing her face were natural. He wanted to run his fingers through the mass of curls and find out if they were as soft as they looked, gleaming in the multi-colored lights of the club. He stared at her face. Her cheeks looked smooth as milk, as bourbon. Her lips were stretched into a smile as she danced, but even so were full and with a hint of a kissable pout. He was more than willing to volunteer to kiss that pout till it swelled. Her eyes…he frowned. Her eyes were closed.

Shutting herself off from the world.

Ignoring all the stares her beauty had generated, the admiration and desire her dance had stirred.

Which was fine with him, as long as she didn't shut _him_ out as well. He wanted that smile to be for him. He wanted…

_Oh yes, Gambit's _gotta _talk t' dis _fille.

But he wouldn't mind watching her a little while longer first.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The first song bled into another and then another. Rogue still hadn't opened her eyes; she knew that when she danced like this she cleared a space. No one ever got too close to her, even when her mutation was unknown. She carried the fact that she was untouchable, she projected it, she protected her space.

Slowly, the urge to live through the music was fading. She hated it when that happened. She wished that she could remain lost in tangles of sound forever. But instead she became aware of stares, of lust, directed at her.

She smirked a little and gave her audience a seductive twist, a bend. _That's all right, boys. You can look, but you can't touch. Just like me._

For a moment she could barely hear the music over the rush of voices in her head, but then she slammed her mental walls back in place and opened her eyes.

Her demeanor icy cold once again, she left the dance floor and made her way over to the bar.

Hell, she could do with a cold beer right now. But who knew how early she was going to be called on in the morning?

"What can I getcha?" The bartender was female, and Rogue was relieved. She was suddenly tired and didn't feel like fending off bad flirts.

"Club soda and a glass of ice," Rogue said.

A flicker of surprise skidded over the impassive face of the bartender, but Rogue caught it. She smirked. The bartender slid the glass of ice over first and then turned to search for club soda.

Sighing gratefully, Rogue lifted her hair up with one arm and ran an ice cube along her the back of her neck with her other hand. The worst part about dancing with gloves on was that it trapped the sweat inside and didn't give it a chance to evaporate. But even in a relatively peaceful part of the club like this, Rogue wasn't about to risk taking her gloves off to cool down. She had found this to be an good substitute. Rogue was aware of watching eyes, but she didn't care. Once again, she didn't do this for them.

The ice cube soon melted and trickles of ice water drizzled down her back. She swung her hair over the side of her shoulder and ran another ice cube along her jaw line, behind her ears. She shuddered at the sensation and let the ice drop onto a napkin. That brought up a memory best left alone.

Ah, the bartender had a sense of humor. She had given Rogue one of those kiddie curly straws. _Great. The whole world's a comedian._

Still, she was thirsty, so she gamely put her lips to the straw and drank.

Suddenly, the hackles on the back of her neck rose.

_Someone is watching me._

_Of course, what else is new?_

_No…this one is dangerous._

Casually, she turned around and placed her elbows on the bar. Still sipping from her straw, her eyes scanned the room. Trusting her gut, her gaze focused on a man leaning with one foot propped against the wall. He was smoking under the no smoking sign.

She smirked.

_Surely it's not this one._

But then his eyes cut to hers without moving his head.

They widened in surprise.

_What, did he think he was invisible?_

Apparently, because for a brief second he looked distinctly uncomfortable.

She smirked and lifted her gaze to the sign above his head. He followed her gaze and returned her smirk.

She broke their eye contact and continued to scan the room, but no one else drew her attention. Still, she had learned a long time ago to always listen to her gut. _So it was him_. She looked back at the wall. He wasn't there.

"_Bonsoir, chere_," a voice purred in her ear.

Her eyes widened and she turned to the voice. And found herself standing--much too close--to the stranger.

_Do not step away! _she countermanded her instinct. _Do not reveal weakness._

"Hello yaself," she drawled instead, and dragged her eyes up his rangy frame. Tight blue jeans, a burgundy wife beater clinging to well defined muscles, and a tan, beaten up trench coat. Strangely enough, she saw that he was also wearing gloves, with all but the middle two fingers cut off. She looked at his face and had to restrain a gasp. He was--easily--one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. Full lips and high cheekbones, auburn hair falling in glorious disarray and brown eyes that were busy devouring her face.

She frowned. There was something wrong with his eyes.

"Why a sad face, _cherie_? A _belle femme _such as yourself should only wear smiles."

She rolled her eyes. Was this guy for real? _Distract, evade._ "Sorry, but Ah think that's a bit less than public decency would allow." Rogue moved away from him.

His eyes widened for a brief moment and then he chuckled, a warm deep laugh that sent butterflies off in Rogue's stomach.

_That ain't a good sign. _

The man beside her smirked then and spoke "_La femme est belle, danse comme une déesse, et a un esprit rapide d'éclairage. Remy aime. Remy aime beaucoup. Il se demande ce que d'autres talents le chere cache_?"(1)

And he raked her thoroughly with his gaze, lingering pointedly on her chest.

Rogue blushed and immediately decided it was to her advantage if he thought she didn't understand French. "Ah'm sorry. What did ya say?"

Remy smiled--well, it was more pleasant than a straight leer and less mocking than a smirk, so what would you call it?--and said, "Remy was wondering if ya would like t' dance with him, _chere_?"

_Sure, ya just want ta 'dance' with me._ Rogue widened her eyes, "Ain't we a lil' old ta hafta play at go-betweens? If Remy wants ta dance with meh, ya should tell him ta ask for himself." She felt like indulging her wicked streak, so she tilted her head and hooded her eyes, running them up his frame one more time, "B'sides, ya don't look like a messenger boy ta me." A smirk played at her mouth, "But Ah could be mistaken."

For a moment, she thought she saw red flash behind his brown eyes. But then he was all charm once again.

"_Je suis désolé, cherie_. Remy has neglected t' introduce himself. Remy LeBeau at ya service." And he reached for her gloved hand and brought it up to his lips.

Rogue snatched it away before he could kiss it, hoping that her half-smile hid her near panic. "Uh, uh, uh," she said, waggling her index finger back and forth. "No touchy."

Remy pouted. "But if Remy can't touch ya, how is he gonna dance wit' ya, _cherie_?"

"Ah never said Ah was gonna dance with ya, Swamp rat."

His eyebrows rose, "Swamp rat?"

Rogue shrugged. _Ah might be enjoying this game a little too much._ "Sure, ya are Cajun, ain't ya? And you're calling me cherry." Rogue widened her eyes again, "What does that mean, anyway?"

"Remy is callin' ya _cherie_," he put more emphasis on correctly pronouncing the word, "because _la belle femme_ has yet to tell him her name." He pouted again.

Rogue smirked. She had to admire a first-class evasion. And the pout was probably meant to protest his innocence and desirability. Filing these observations on 'Remy's' character away, she said, "Rogue."

His eyebrows rose. "Rogue? Is dat your real name?"

His question leeched the fun out of the game. "It's as real as you're gonna get, sugah."

That flash of red again.

"Is dat a challenge?"

"Naw," Rogue said, turning away from him a little. "It's a statement of fact."

He stepped in front of her. "Dance wit' Remy, _cherie_."

She decided to turn his own pout against him. "Ya still haven't told me what that means."

His eyes were fixed on her pouting lips. He licked his own and then looked into her eyes. "Dance wit' Remy, and he'll tell ya."

Rogue smirked. _Too easy_. "Ya can't bribe me, Swamp rat. Ah'll just look it up when Ah get home. Ah hear those online translators are pretty reliable."

"_Oui._ But wouldn't ya rat'er be taught by de genuine article?"

_Cocky, much? _"Sorry, Swamp rat. Ah doubt ya know anything Ah want ta learn up close and personal."

"_Chere_," he whined.

_I can't believe he actually whined!_ This _is supposed to be attractive? Well…ok, maybe the thought of him begging is a_ tiny _bit appealing._

Remy continued, "Remy's told ya his name. Why won't y' use it?"

"An' Ah told ya mah name. Ah don't hear ya usin' it. Besides, Ah think you're using your name enough for the both of us."

_That should get rid of him,_ Rogue thought glancing at the clock. 11:23. She should leave soon.

He stepped close to her, too close once again. And once again Rogue refused to move.

"Dance wit' me," he breathed.

Rogue looked up at him and felt her heart rate quicken. Still…there was something wrong with his eyes…

"Just one dance, Rogue. No strings attached. Please, dance wit' me."

His use of her name, the word 'please,' and the first person did not go unnoticed by Rogue.

She glanced at the clock again. 11:24. _Why not?_ The DJ suddenly put on an utterly wretched disco song. _Perfect._

"All right, Swamp rat. Let's dance," she moved to brush around him, but he bumped into her instead.

The brief contact sent electricity running through her body.

"_Chere_, t' dis song? Please, y' insult Remy," he said.

_Two can play his game, _she leaned closer to him. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

He responded by leaning even closer to her.

Rogue didn't back down, but she _really _wished she hadn't started this 'who can invade who's personal space more' contest. It should have been obvious: the Cajun didn't _have_ any notion of personal space. So she changed tactics. "Ah mean, Ah've only got time for one more song."

"_Mais oui_. De _fille _must be home before her coach turns into a pumkin?" His teasing was meant to have to sting, to challenge her to deny the curfew and stay.

Instead, she smirked, "Ah wouldn't worry about me, Remy. After all, _ya're _the swamp rat. Maybe Ah'll dance with ya now, but if ya turn into something with four feet an' a tail Ah'll hafta reconsider."

He smirked back. "Remy likes the way you say his name. He will go and fix the song before de river rat has to run away."

Rogue raised her eyebrows, "River rat?"

"Sure," he said, mimicking her words. "Ya are from Mississippi ain't ya? Wait here for Remy, he'll be right back."

Remy slipped away into the crowd, towards the DJ.

Rogue briefly considered leaving. But she was never one to walk away from a challenge. And Remy LeBeau was certainly…

_What? Annoying, hot, challenging, charming, slimey, cocky, sexy…?_

Rogue sighed. _Yeup. All of those._

And speak of the devil, there he was in front of her again, his gloved hand outstretched.

_Well, if you're gonna dance with him you're gonna hafta let him touch ya._

She hesitantly laid her gloved hand on to of his lightly. He immediately grasped it with a firm grip and then with a smirk he led her onto the dance floor.

The music changed. It was classical, rhythmic, passionate, and engaging. Those doing the bump and grind to disco or actually disco _dancing_ groaned and vacated the floor. After all, not everyone could tango. Only a few couples remained on the floor.

Remy pulled her towards him and placed one hand around her waist while holding up the other one. Proper dancing space was left between them as they each held their arms taunt.

He didn't say a word, he simply began to lead.

Rogue wasn't surprised that he was a good dancer. She was a bit surprised that he had assumed she was. But she followed his steps with ease, adding her own flair to the dance.

His steps became more complicated. A leg between her own. A dip.

She responded, wrapping her jean-clad leg around his waist and throwing an arm straight back.

He ran his suddenly free hand from her shoulder to her hip, then picked her up and spun her away from him, grabbing one hand and snatching her back.

Rogue stopped the spin just short of a collision with his chest.

Remy continued the dance.

The music sped up, the steps went faster.

Remy's hand wandered from her waist to her hip.

Rogue's eyes widened.

He smirked and pulled her hard up against him as the music faded into the next song.

Couples flooded the dance floor again.

Rogue was frozen in his arms. Slowly, Remy began to lower his head. He was going to kiss her.

_Push him away! Let him do it, he wants it so bad--spread the hurt! Get rid of him! What are ya thinking? Damn, he's hot. I bet he tastes like spices…_

Rogue took a deep shuddering breath. "Ya said it was just a dance," she spoke, halting the slow decent of his lips. "No strings attached."

Remy lifted his gaze from her lips to her eyes. "_Oui_. An' dis is just a kiss."

"Ah ain't kissin' ya, Remy," Rogue said. "An' Ah don't want ya kissin' me. It was just a dance. Now let me go, Swamp Rat. Just let me go an' we'll still be able to enjoy the dance."

His arms tightened around her for an instant. Then he released her and courteously offered her his arm to escort her off the dance floor.

Rogue accepted. She stared straight ahead of herself, wishing not for the first time that being not able to touch also meant that she was unable to feel.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_Remy LeBeau does not chase women who do not want to be caught, _he thought clenching his jaw as he escorted Rogue off the dance floor. _What I want de _femmes _for, it don't matter who dey are. It's better not to know. Just let de _fille _go, Gambit. Don't look at her eyes…so beautiful, like emeralds…so sad…shimmering wit' unshed pain. Why is she so sad? She wanted t' kiss me. Why didn't she?_

Despite his resolve, he turned to look at the beautiful girl beside him. Her face was pale and her eyes stared blankly ahead of her, unseeing.

"Y' all right, _belle_?"

Rogue nodded.

He wanted to joke, to make her smile again. "Ya sure ya don't want t' stick around an' see what dis Cajun turns into at midnight?"

A low, brief laugh. "S'alright, Swamp Rat. Better ta keep a little mystery."

"Dat why ya call yourself Rogue?"

She stiffened imperceptibly, "Naw. Rogue's mah name as much as it is a warnin'."

He was amused. _What's dis girl got to warn people about? _He shifted around to be nearly in front of her as they walked. "What, _chere_? Y' gonna kill people wit' ya eyes? True, a man could drown in dem, but Remy bets your kiss would breathe life back into de corpse."

Rogue rolled her eyes and suddenly stumbled forward. Remy caught her, but not before her chest crashed into his stomach right above his belt.

Remy was slightly surprised at his instant arousal. He held her, steadying her there for a moment.

Rogue was blushing again, and she looked up at him. Her eyes were glimmering with unshed tears. "Ah'm sorry."

Remy ignored his body and helped her stand up straight. "What for, _chere_? Y' can fall against Remy any time." He leered at her.

Rogue shook her head, a sad little smile playing around her lips.

Remy had to stop himself from leaning forward and clamping his lips down onto hers._ She's so beautiful._

"Goodbye, Remy," Rogue said. "Thank ya for the dance."

He put out a hand and caught her by the arm as she turned around. "Is Cinderella gonna leave wit'out even dropping a glass slipper for Prince Charmin' t' follow her by?"

Rogue snorted, "Charming ya may be, but a prince? Ya think too much of yourself, Swamp Rat." Rogue shook off his hand and walked away.

_If only ya knew, Rogue,_ Remy thought as he tilted his head observe her exit from the best possible angle until she faded into the crowd.

He glanced at the clock. 11: 52. Cinderella had plenty of time to spare. He should have made her stay, he should have kissed her, made her tell him her real name…

Never one to dwell on regrets, Remy shrugged and walked over to the wall. He had spent most of the night just watching the girl. Usually he would have made at least two trips to one of the curtained alcoves below the dance floor by now. Strangely, he didn't feel as if the night was a waste. Even more strangely, he didn't want to find someone else for a quick lay. He wanted to know more about this mystery, this woman who had matched him quip for quip, who hadn't melted into a puddle at his feet, who--even though she wanted him--had walked away.

_True, y' didn't leave me wit' a glass slipper, Roguey. But de Prince of T'ieves has ot'er ways of gettin' information._

He reached into the pocket of his trenchcoat where he had put her wallet after lifting it during the tango.

His eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't there!

He knew he had put it in there, where could it have gone?

His frantic searching fingers came upon something soft, velvet. He lifted it out and stared at it. It was a black rose petal.

_Rogue._ She must have picked his pocket when she 'tripped' against him. He wasn't _too_ surprised that he didn't feel it, his body had been concentrating on much more pleasurable sensations. But he was _very_ surprised that she had felt him lift her wallet. After all, he was the Prince of Thieves, a master thief in his own right, and a damn good looking man. She shouldn't have felt anything but desire when she was dancing with him.

_Am I losing m' touch? _

No. Impossible. It was her. She was different. Sharper, more aware than the others. If he had taken the security system into account, he would have found a way around it. He just hadn't had all the information. That was all.

_Why hadn't he had all the information? _Well, who would have thought a mere _femme _would _ever_ be a challenge to Remy LeBeau, Prince of Thieves, King of Hearts?

But from the moment he saw her dancing alone, dancing with her eyes closed and refusing to look at anyone, that was what Rogue had been to him.

And she had left the petal to show him that he hadn't put one past her. To show him that she was determined to remain a mystery, to remain alone.

His eyes narrowed. _Remy LeBeau has never turned down a challenge yet, _ma chere_. Ya ought t' know better dan t' t'row down a gauntlet t' a man called Gambit._

He glared down at the black petal in his hand. True, it wasn't a glass slipper. But it was the beginning of a trail. People didn't leave calling cards just once. He would know. Gambit glanced at the clock: 12:00am. And with that he left the club to see if he could pick up a trace of his mysterious _belle._

* * *

Translations: 

1: The woman is beautiful, dances like a goddess, and has a lighting fast wit. Remy likes. Remy likes very much. He wonders what other talents the dear is hiding?"

2: I'm sorry

AN: OK, is it just me or when Remy says, "But wouldn't ya rat'er be taught by de genuine article?" does anyone else have to suppress a 'hell yeah!'?

I really hope that y'all enjoyed this first installment. Please let me know what you thought.


	2. Frustration and All That Jazz

**Disclaimers of Various Shapes and Sizes:** Only the story idea is vaguely mine. To my knowledge both 'My Foolish Heart' and 'A Fine Romance' have entered into common domain. But either way, I'm just quotin' 'em, I don't own 'em. Bablefish is my French tutor. Blame it.

Oh, just in case anyone's wondering, in this fic Rogue's 22 and Remy's 25/26.

* * *

Chapter two: Frustration and All that Jazz 

Rogue had decided long ago that the worst thing about her job was the hours. Not that she _really_ objected to losing sleep when it was for a good reason, or even that she required too much sleep--she had long since been trained to make due for a week on only eleven hours. But it was the randomness of when she was required to wake up that drove her nuts. At the start of one assignment, she might not have to begin the meeting protocol until noon, others required her to be up before dawn. It was irritating, to say the least; never giving her a chance to form a routine and maintain control. And if there was one thing Rogue strove for in her life, it was control.

So she cheated. When she had gotten back to her hotel room at around 12:15 in the morning, she automatically scanned the room to make sure all was as it should be. Then she stripped, stepped into the shower, and was out in less than five minutes. Before going to sleep she attached a small device to her cell phone. _Nifty gadgets are one of the best things about mah job. _She had commissioned this particular device in payment of a favor and no one knew about it. She didn't know how it worked and wasn't sure she wanted to, but somehow it would ring her cell phone a half hour before it received its next call.

_Ah love that thing, _she thought as she settled into her hotel bed. Her mind was still racing and analyzing what had happened at the club. Her unfamiliar surroundings echoed around in her head demanding that she remain alert. But Rogue's will was stronger than her desires; it had to be. So she took a few deep breaths and forced herself to sleep.

A tinsely dinging woke her. Rogue moaned and picked up her phone. 4:00. _That means Bishop. Sadist. Ah know he won't call the meeting 'til nine. But can he give a gal a wake up call at seven? Nooo. _

She yawned and arched her back.

Lumbering out of the bed, she began a routine of morning stretches. Five minutes later, she splashed some water on her face, then sat crossed legged on the floor by the foot of her bed.

She closed her eyes and entered her mind. She pictured it as an empty room, just like the one where they held training sessions at the base. With a thought, she conjured up a door in the metallic wall. _Let's see, who wants ta make trouble today?_

She peaked through the door to the part of her mind where she stored 'her' psyches. Usually after sleeping one of them was banging to get out. Its intentions depended both on how much effort she had spent on the psyche before and her original relationship with the person she had absorbed.

To her surprise, there was no one at the door. She briefly considered bringing one out and working on breaking down the personality into mental files anyway, but reconsidered. It was better to wait until she had more time and the opportunity to give the task her undivided effort and attention. Having their powers and information readily accessible (not to mention the fact that once they were fully 'stored' they couldn't invade her mind anymore) was well worth the time and effort. But analyzing and storing the information and powers that the psyches gave her, an act that she titled 'reabsorbtion,' was a delicate task. And even though the psyches weren't giving her any trouble this morning, there was a maelstrom of memories that were demanding her attention. She turned to the glowing mass of color and stepped into it, letting the memories flicker over her awareness.

_His eyes…wandering over her body, staring into hers. Laughing, mocking, intriguing yet somehow decidedly wrong--incomplete, misplaced--there is something missing from his eyes._

_His scent…tobacco and spices with a hint of something she could only qualify as 'danger.' Rogue liked danger…_

_His hands…reaching to touch her, leading her to dance, sliding over her body…picking her pocket._

Rogue snickered, her humor chasing away the flashing sensations. He was _very_ good at picking pockets. If she didn't have a pin sticking out of her wallet for just such an occasion, Rogue wasn't sure if she would have even noticed. The fact that she would almost _not_ notice someone touching her said so much for his skills that she had gone to rather…dramatic lengths to ensure that he wouldn't feel it when she took it back. For some reason, she had wanted to keep the fact that he had stolen her wallet unknown; she just wanted it back with as little fuss as possible. Something told her that he wasn't interested in her money…

She had been surprised at the extent of his attraction to her when she fell against him. But she was even more surprised that seeing it caused an all-too-familiar ache to return in full force. She had wanted to be able to give him what he wanted.

That was why she had really meant her apology. She had stirred him up, and she could never, ever fulfill that longing for him. And she knew the pain of unfulfilled longing.

That was why she had left the rose petal. The touch of death. It makes any relationship more interesting. He would never have her.

_Yeah, but he'll be able ta touch the next pretty '_fille_'_ _that comes along. He'll call her '_chere_' and '_cherie_' and she'll giggle ingratiatingly and he'll touch her. Get over it, Rogue. He's not the type ta pine away for something he can't have. And if ya maybe possibly definitely want him too, get over that. Cause even if the impossible was possible, one night stands just ain't yer style. He's just some guy. Move on._

Somewhere outside of her mind her phone was ringing. _That'll be about meeting for the mission briefing._

Leaving her memories firmly filed where they belonged, Rogue answered the phone in a voice that she made husky, as if waking from sleep, "What d'ya want?"

"Rogue?"

"Who else would it be?" she sounded annoyed, and she was.

"At seven o'clock, go to Kingsley Park. Walk northeast and you'll see a man with a motorcycle. Get on. He'll take you to the checkpoint."

Rogue blinked. "Ha ha. Very funny."

"I'm serious, Rogue."

"That is the most idiotic procedure Ah have ever heard of. An' you've been in charge of at least a dozen missions already."

"It's to ensure secrecy and security."

"An' if there's more than one man on a motorcycle in the whole northeast area of Kinsley Park?" Rogue thought that she was being _very_ generous in only pointing out one flaw in this half-assed 'procedure.'

Not even a moment's hesitation, "Are you questioning orders, Rogue?"

"Hell yeah! 'Rogue,' remember? Are ya juss tryin' ta git meh in trouble?"

"Now why would I do that?"

Rogue forced herself to calm down. The thickening of her accent when she was angry was one tell that she had not been able to get rid of, and Bishop knew that all too well. "Ya _know_ that Ah don't work this way. If ya want me ta be part of this op so badly, y'all can give me a call with a real entrance procedure." She hung up and glared at the phone.

She wanted to scream. Ever since he had joined the team seven months ago, Bishop had constantly been attempting to ruin the relationships that she had spent _years_ establishing. Sure, Carol was too smart to fall for his crap, but for some unknown reason Tessa had fallen head-over-heals for the jerk.

No, she didn't want to scream. She wanted Bishop in the room with her _right now_ and to not have to worry about the consequences if she smashed his face in.

Not following the first given contact-point would piss Tessa off. And that was exactly why Bishop had done it. He _knew_ that she didn't work without all of the information. Rogue even thought that a part of him respected that. She _knew_ that he valued her work. But he was still systematically attempting to wreck her friendships on the team. Rogue didn't have so many friends that she was willing to let that slide. Bishop was an enigma, and not the good kind.

She stared at the walls around her. Suddenly, the room was too small, too confining, and she knew that if she stayed here she'd be punching holes through the thin walls. _Not the best way ta remain incognito._ She had to get out of there.

She quickly slipped into spandex running pants with a purple stripe down the side and a baggy purple sweatshirt. Rogue pulled her hair back in a ponytail, not bothering to attempt to bring back the white streaks that always insisted on framing her face no matter what she did, and slipped on her gloves. She double-tied the laces on her running shoes and grabbed her MP3 player and cell phone, and slipping her key in her waistline she was out the door before she had even made up her mind to go running.

It was pre-dawn and her breath came out in visible puffs. Relying on her mental map of the city, she found herself running towards Kingsley Park. She wasn't following the "procedure." No way in hell. But she remembered that there was a small hill in the park and she could be alone and watch the sunrise from there. Plus, the fifteen miles of running would be just what she needed to cool off.

_Thump, thump, thump. Patter, patter, patter. _The sound of her feet on the pavement and the beating of her heart created a counterpoint rhythm that only aggravated her still stirred emotions.

_Why is he gettin' ta me like this? _she thought as she approached the park. Rogue vaulted over the fence easily. The steady run had only exacerbated her irritation. What she wanted was a real workout, a sprint, or an extra long and brutal training session._ At least be honest with yourself. What ya want is ta beat the stuffing out o' Bishop. But that ain't what you're gonna get. So calm down. If running it out didn't work, try something else._

Rogue checked her time. 6:12. The sun would be coming up soon.

She closed her eyes and controlled her breathing. When she opened them, she saw the park with fresh eyes. Pre-dawn light was a ghosty rose that teased color into the leaves and branches. The air was still. Rogue decided that she would walk up to the hill slowly and drink in the beauty around her.

She felt her MP3 player banging against her body and gave a small smile. She took it out and slid on the earphones, paging through to find some relaxing music. Rogue turned the volume up loud. She didn't usually listen to music as she walked, preferring to remain more aware of her environment. If the earphones were on, then it was for appearance's sake. But now, despite her decision to try to calm down peacefully, she still hoped that someone would try something stupid. She could use an outlet for her frustration.

XXXXXXXX

Remy LeBeau was frustrated. This was not a feeling that he often encountered. Usually anything that he wanted badly enough to exert the effort to attain, he could achieve without much effort. Especially when it came to women. That was why he loved the heist so much--sure, getting the prize was unqualified satisfaction, but it was the process of getting there, the challenge itself that thrilled him. A master thief at an unprecedented young age, Remy dove into the puzzle and challenge of stealing like a fish to water. He lived and breathed the challenge--and he always got his mark. So why was he frustrated? _Dis isn't about a job. It's about a _femme. Remy hadn't felt frustration over a woman in a long, long time. At first he had enjoyed the novel sensation. But now he was just frustrated.

She had disappeared. In only eight minutes the _belle _had left the streets without a trace.

And he didn't know enough about her to find her. He didn't know if she lived in the city, was visiting a friend, or was just passing through. The fact that she had come to the club alone made him suspect that she wasn't visiting anyone in town. _After all, who would know such a_ belle femme_ and let her come t' de club alone? _But the fact that she had shown up at The Devil's Dare led him to believe that she knew the city better than the average visitor. The club had been built according to his specifications, and any time he was in the area he made a point to visit. The locals loved the place--couldn't get enough of it--but it was well off the beaten track of usual clubs as it was located in the warehouse district.

The _femme _was an enigma, right down to her name. Rogue.

_Rogue. _He rolled the name around in his mind, enjoying the taste of it.

He had gone to all the main hotels and asked if they had a woman matching Rogue's description staying with them. Thanks to his description, a couple of clerks had been _very_ interested, but none were able to help.

So he returned to his apartment and checked his only other clue. "Black rose petal" appeared 215,000 times in a Google search. After clicking through news articles for hours, the only relevant information he could find was in symbolism: loss, death, and mystery. He could have guessed that. So he wrote a program to search through government sources. _After all, de _femme _did pick Remy's pocket. Maybe she be a t'ief too, neh? Even t'ough…de chances of me never hearin' of a t'ief like her…dat's a bet I wouldn't take._ Remy was almost tempted to get Lapin on the phone and have him do it. But Emil was working on a diamond heist with Henri. Remy wasn't sure that he'd be willing to switch over to searching for emeralds, especially since Remy wasn't interested in sharing.

His program might take a while to find it, but any relevant information _would_ be found. That was the important thing.

_In de meantime, anticipation is half de fun. _Remy was sure that Rogue probably wasn't as attractive as he remembered. After all, they had been in a club with low lighting. He had only spoken to her for maybe 15-20 minutes, max_. Never mind all dat time y' spent watchin' her dance…_

He would find her, he had no doubt about that. And then he'd smile at her and she'd fall in his hand like a ripe plumb. _Never mind dat y' practically had t' beg her t' dance wit' y'._

Remy smiled at the memory of the conversation last night. When he had gone to the DJ to get him to change to the tango, he had been irritated. The _fille_ had gotten under his skin. Pinning his accent, refusing to swoon, challenging him to come up with a better reason then his smile and pout in order to honor him with a dance. He had wanted to challenge her right back with that tango. He had a sneaking suspicion that she would be able to dance well, but he didn't care if she didn't. Having her clinging to him in embarrassment, giving him the opportunity to hold her close and whisper a quiet taunt in her ear would have been just as satisfying. But she had shown him fire and passion in her dance. She matched his every move and upped the challenge.

Seducing her would be simple. A couple honeyed words in her ear, some expensive gifts. A dress, maybe, to wear dancing. He could tell that she loved to dance. One night on the town with him and she would be his._ Never mind dat she walked away after one dance. _

Gambit loved women. As distractions, playthings. They were fun to have around. He respected them, never forcing one, even defending them if necessary and convenient. If they wanted to repay them with their companionship, he would welcome it. If beautiful women found him appealing and wanted to be with him, who was he to deny them? Rogue was a woman just like any other. Sure, she was intelligent and beautiful. That only made being with her more fun. He would break into her heart like a well-guarded museum, enjoy the challenge while it lasted, and then leave after a short time of mutual appreciation. All he had to do was get past the security. _Never mind dat she dances alone wit' her eyes closed. _

Once he finally got her, he would probably be disappointed.

_Never mind dat she wouldn't let me kiss her._

Hell, he was frustrated.

He glanced at the clock. 5:15. He glanced at the king-sized four post bed and sighed. He was too frustrated to sleep.

He needed to get out of his apartment. He glanced down at his worn blue jeans then got up and splashed some water on his face. Throwing on a white wife beater and his old trench coat, Remy grabbed the keys to his motorcycle and left. He knew just where to go.

It was around 5:30 when he pulled his bike to a stop at the northeast entrance of Kingsley Park. Remy stalked over towards the hill that overlooked the east of the city. He would watch the sunrise from there.

Sitting on the crest of the hill, Remy lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. _On de upside, at least Remy's not bored anymore. De last heist from de British Museum was over so quickly. Dey really should get better security on dat place._ Jean Luc wanted to start bringing up some of the kids into bigger jobs. Henri wanted to be in charge of the training. Remy wanted to help--but he had made too big a name for himself. His father was using 'training wit' de Diable Blanc' as an incentive. To get a very bored Remy out of his hair, Jean Luc had told him to take a vacation. So he had ended up here. This city used to be one of his favorite haunts, but he hadn't been back in years. And now…now he took another deep drag of his cigarette, _Now at least y' ain't bored anymore._

He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there in the pre dawn stillness, with only the chattering of the birds for company. But before he heard any approaching footsteps, he heard a low, husky, surprisingly pleasant voice crooning out one of his favorite jazz songs.

_Dat be de Carmen McCrae version. _Quick as thought, Remy doused his cigarette and disappeared up a tree to see who was approaching.

"…take care, my foolish heart. There's a line between love and fascination that's so hard to see on an evening such as this. For they both give the very same sensation when you're lost in the magic of a kiss…"

_It's her._ Remy's heart thudded in his chest as Rogue stepped slowly to the crest of the hill. She was lost in her melody, singing softly, not paying any undue attention to her surroundings. He watched her as if she had just stepped out a dream. She was wearing grubby workout clothes, and it was obvious she had just come from a run._ How does she make such plain clothes look so good?_ He watched her walk; her movements, the light sway of her hips, were mesmerizing as she walked total lack of self-consciousness.

Rogue stopped walking and dipped her head down to smell a late-blooming flower, still singing.

"His lips are much too close ta mine. Take care, mah foolish heart." She moved to the top of the hill and sat down.

Remy was out of the tree before he even knew to think it. He crept slowly up behind her as she continued to sing. "But should our eager lips combine, then let the fires--"

"Y' singin' about Remy, _chere_?" he said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Before he knew it, she had grabbed his hand and flipped him onto the ground in front of her, her knee pinning his chest to the ground. One hand secured both of his to the ground behind his head while the other poised to strike his throat.

Remy gulped. _Wasn't expecting dat._

Rogue's eyes widened in recognition, then she burst out shouting, "Ya stupid swamp rat! Didn't anyone ever tell ya not ta sneak up on a gal?"

"Much as Remy 'ppreciates yer enthusiasm, _chere_, don' ya t'ink jumpin' him like dis is a bit sudden? After all, ya didn't tell Remy yer proper name yet."

Rogue hadn't shifted her position while he was speaking, she remained on guard. _De mark of a professional, _he noted. But he knew her name was a touchy spot with her and he played the card. She tensed for a brief second, hesitating, he was sure, only to decide if she wanted to hurt him or yell at him. But he was a professional too, and that hesitation was all he needed to wrap both his legs around her waist and flip her backwards, reversing their situation.

He straddled Rogue's sides with his legs and pinned her arms behind her head with his hands.

Remy couldn't help but leer at their new position and he opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a solid "Oomph!" as Rogue had not waited to hear his intentions. She kneed him in the gut, immediately following through by a sharp kick with the heal of her other foot that had enough force behind it to propel him off of her.

Remy was instantly on his feet.

But Rogue was crouched in a defensive position several feet away.

He made to move towards her, but stopped when she spoke.

"Ah've been itchin' all mornin' for a good fight, Swamp rat. Come any closer an' ya'll be givin' meh the perfect excuse."

Remy's eyes flashed at the challenge, and he almost started towards her. _Gambit is curious t' see what de femme can do… Den again, fightin' wit' de _fille _isn't exactly de kind of contact he's been wantin', neh? _"What's the matter, _cherie_? Had a rough time sleepin' last night?"

Rogue snorted, relaxing her stance slightly. "Hardly. It was this mornin' that sucked."

He spread out his hands, indicating the world around them. "It barely be mornin', _chere_."

Rogue shrugged, "Ah have inconsiderate friends. What about ya, Swamp rat? What are ya doin' up this early?"

Remy pouted, "Remy didn't get t' sleep at all. He couldn't get dis _fille _out of his head, _vous savez_?"

Rogue smirked and spoke so softly Remy wasn't sure that he had heard her, "More than ya will ever know."

"_Mais oui_, of course y' know. After all, weren't y' just singin' about Remy?"

Rogue gave a saccharine smile, "Sugah, if Ah was gonna sing about ya, it would be more along the lines of 'A Fine Romance.'"

Remy took two quick strides to stand close to her and he murmured, "Remy'll let ya 'muss de crease in his blue serge pants.'"

Rogue smirked up at him, "Ah still 'prefer cactus plants.'"

He was waiting for the punch, and she did not disappoint him. It stung his hand through his glove when he caught it. He held her fist inches from his jaw.

"It be too early t' do dis dance, _chere_," he said.

"Then why'd ya start the music?"

"Mebbe Remy just wanted t' see if ya'd take the first step."

"Now ya know. Whatcha gonna do about it?"

Remy smiled and shifted his grip on her fist so that he had her by the wrist. "We'll talk about dat later. D'ya come to watch the sunrise, _cherie_?"

Rogue nodded, her eyes narrowing.

"Wouldn't want ya t' miss it," he said, and led her by her wrist back up the cliff. He knew that she could have reclaimed it and was a little surprised that she didn't fight him.

They stood side by side for a moment, watching the sun peek over the horizon. Her gloved fingers were almost gentle when they pried his fingers from her wrist. _De least violent way t' make Remy let go wit'out askin' him._

Rogue sat down cross legged on the hill, leaving him to stand alone.

_She doesn't want to make a scene, but she doesn't want t' share dis wit' me. Why?_ Remy pulled out a cigarette and risked lighting it with his powers in front of her. After all, her attention was solely focused on the sun.

There was a short silence between them.

"Starin' at de sun will blind y', ya know."

"An' Ah heard cigarettes lead t' cancer," she responded without looking at him.

"Lies, all of dem," Remy brushed off her comment and sat down adjacent to her, angling himself for the best view. He studied the smooth curves of her face, memorized the way her long lashes curled without the aid of any mascara, and tried to qualify exactly what it was that made her eyes shimmer in a way more alluring than diamonds.

He could tell that she felt his gaze on her by a barely perceptible tensing of her shoulders. Remy fought the urge to trail his gaze down her back. When she turned and looked at him, he wanted her to see him staring at her eyes.

She held out thirty seconds longer than he thought she would, and when she finally turned to him, he sensed that it was because she didn't want him looking at her more than her desire to look at him.

_Dis _fille _keeps getting more and more intriguing._

But when she turned, he caught her with his eyes. And for a moment, she stayed in his gaze. She looked at his cheeks, focused on his lips long enough to get his heart pattering, and then stared at his eyes. She shook her head slightly, and frowned.

_What's dis? _"Dat's de t'ird time y' did dat, _chere_."

Her features quickly shifted to an expression of bemused innocence. "Huh?"

"Dat's de t'ird time ya've looked at Remy's eyes and frowned. Why is dat, _chere_? Y' don' like brown?"

Rogue blinked and looked down for a moment. Then she sighed and looked up at him, her eyebrows drawn together slightly as if to say, _Why the hell not? _"Ya're not gonna like the answer."

Remy smirked, "Try Remy." _What does dis _fille _know?_

After a delicate raise of her eyebrow at the obvious innuendo, Rogue continued. "All right. Ah've always looked ta eyes ta provide insight on a person. "Windows ta the soul," right? Well, ya eyes…they just don't fit ya, Remy. Ah don't know why. An' Ah'm usually a pretty good judge o' these things. So Ah guess Ah'm frustrated about it--after all, it's not like you've changed your eyes, right?"

_Remy's eyes make her uncomfortable because dey are not his eyes._ He had to take a moment to digest that.

It must have been a longer moment then he thought. Because Rogue actually moved closer to him and spoke with concern, "Ah haven't upset ya, have Ah?"

_She moved closer because she thought he was upset. Would she run if she knew de truth? Hell, LeBeau, she's runnin' now. Look at de tense line of her back! She's ready to jump up an' disappear again wit'out lookin' back... Maybe if ya show her dat ya 'trust' her, if ya make yourself 'vulnerable'…_

"_Non, cherie_," Remy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Remy just don' t'ink y'll like de answer t' your question. _Mes yeux_ have haunted Remy his whole life."

Rogue's eyebrows drew together. "Why?" she whispered and tilted her head to the side.

_I wonder if she knows how seductive dat is?_ Remy used all of his self control to remain solemn and keep his attention away from Rogue's lips.

Suddenly he wondered what would happen if she rejected him after seeing his eyes. _After all, she walked away before_, _once she sees dat I have demon eyes, what's to keep her from shrieking and runnin' away?_ He wondered if her rejection would actually…hurt.

_She's just _une fille_. Why should I care? B'sides, I don't t'ink Rogue's de shrieking kind…'m gonna hafta work on changin' dat... _

"Dey said…dey said dat I had de eyes o' de Devil," he whispered back, wondering if the crack in his voice was actually…authentic? And he reached up to his earring and pulled out the stub in the back.

Rogue drew in a sharp breath.

_Here it comes. Let's see if dis worked…_

"That's…much better."

And then she smiled.

Remy smiled back. _Gambit wins again._

XXXXXXXXXX

_Red on black…fitting for a man who's scent screams 'danger.' _

_Flicker-pulse. Flicker-pulse. They glow. Hiding as much as they reveal. _

_Beautiful…he had been gorgeous before, but now…these truly are his eyes._

Rogue became aware that he was waiting for her to say something. "That's…much better," she said, and hoped that her words didn't reveal her sharp regret. _Red as lust, black as death…fitting. Give into lust with him once, and he'll be dead. _

So she smiled and hid again.

He smiled back, the sharp grin of a predator. _Oh crap. He thinks he has me. Was this just a game? No…the pain is real…the eyes are real…aww, hell, why am Ah wasting mah time here?_

"Ya're not scared, _chere_?"

_Yeah, Ah'm scared that if Ah sit here with ya for one more minute, Ah'll do something we'll both regret. _"Why would Ah be? They're beautiful."

A real grin this time, "_Merci, cherie_."

_Idiot! What the hell are ya doin', Rogue? Don't make him feel bettah. Get him outta here before he gets hurt!_

"So…Ah'm guessin' you're a mutant?"

"_Oui_," he was still grinning. His eyes were running over her face, drawing her closer to him.

_Oh, Ah know _just _what will push a touch-addict like him away._

"Meh too," Rogue whispered. "What are your powers?"

His eyes, his beautiful eyes widened. _Why did Ah make him take off his mask? Ah never shoulda given him a weapon against meh. An' did I _tell_ him Ah thought his eyes were pretty? I must have lost mah mind._

"You're a mutant?" he said.

Rogue gave a little half smile and shrugged.

"What's your power?"

Rogue laughed, _Ah might as well enjoy this. As soon as he knows, he's gone. _"Uh-uh, sugah. Ah asked ya first."

Remy pouted, but suddenly there was a deck of cards in his hands. He shuffled them expertly and then held them out to her. "Pick a card, any card."

Gamely, Rogue pulled out a card and handed it to him.

"De ace of spades. Not bad, _chere_. Remy just a bit surprised dat ya didn't pull out de Queen of Hearts." The deck disappeared into his trench coat and he held out the face of the ace towards her. He waggled his eyebrows at her and spoke in a lecturing tone, "Remy can take de latent energy of an object and make it kinetic." He spoke, pink light flooded the card, "He charges up de molecules for as long as he hold onto de object, den when he lets go," he threw the card in the air above them, "it explodes."

And it did.

_Impressive._

Rogue raised her eyebrows, "So in other words, ya make things go boom."

Remy winked, "_Oui_. All sorts of t'ings."

Rogue smirked, "Not too bad, Swamp rat."

"Oh, an' yours is better?"

Rogue's heart suddenly constricted, and she looked down at her gloved hands. _Gawd, Ah hate this part._ "Nah. When Ah touch someone skin ta skin…a piece of them gets copied into me. Their thoughts, memories, skills… their powers too, if they're mutants. And then they just stay like that…a copy of them inside of me…a sliver of their souls. The longer Ah touch 'em, the more of 'em Ah get. If a hang on too long, they could die. An' Ah can't control it."

Rogue waited for it. Waited for him to say something horrified. Waited for him to yell at her for existing. Waited for him to get up and walk away, and if he spoke to her at all it would be to say that he had better things to do.

He didn't say anything. The silence stretched on for a long time. Rogue could feel his eyes burning into her.

_Why doesn't he say something, damnit!_

She wanted to look up at him. But she didn't want to see horror in his eyes, even though that was why she had made a point of telling him. She wanted him to go away and leave her alone. Teasing and flirting were fine and fun, but he had to go and up the odds and show her his eyes. No, it was better this way.

Slowly, his hand came into view. He was moving cautiously, so as not to startle her. He took one of her gloved hands in his, "Is dat why ya wear de gloves, _chere_?"

That was the last thing she thought he would say, and reaching out and _touching _her _still_… Rogue looked up in his eyes, and nodded.

"Y' are so brave, Rogue," he spoke huskily, his eyes embracing her.

Her name off his lips was like ambrosia. His acceptance of her mutation like a soothing balm on an open wound.

_Damn, _she thought. She closed her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXX

'_Ah can't control it.' _Her words echoed in his head. That was the last thing he thought she would say_. Merde. She can't touch. _A quick flash of disappointment was followed by excitement. _Talk about your security system!_

He waited for her to look up at him and when she didn't, he was forced to consider the passionate femme in front of him. _Must be hell for her, t' not be able t' touch. _He extended his empathy towards her, and felt anger, acceptance, guilt, self-loathing_…Guilt? Self-loathing? Doesn't she know it ain't her fault?_

But he knew that the last thing she would want was his pity. He noticed what she was staring at. Her gloved hands. The way that she protected the world from herself.

_But who protects y', Rogue? Ya keep yourself locked up, when do ya get t' be y'? _

She still hadn't looked at him. He was beginning to get impatient.

_She t'inks Remy's gonna walk away!_ he suddenly realized. _She told me all dis t' try an' get me t' leave her alone!_

He had to choke back a laugh. _She didn't know it'd be like waving a flag in front of a bull._ _Poor _chere_. Time t' show ya dere's _always_ a way around de security._

He slowly stretched out a hand to grab hers. Even though they were both wearing gloves, he felt her unconscious start at his touch. "Is dat why ya wear gloves, _chere_?"

She nodded, and looked up at him. Her eyes were wide with surprise and swimming with so much pain that it hit him like a fist. He quickly put the clamps down on his empathy. _Merde. _"Y' are so brave, Rogue." He meant every word.

* * *

AN: All right, here it is. I didn't really want to end the chapter here, but thinks were just about to get all stirred up again and I thought this was long enough. I hope you guys don't mind the overlapping views. It just sort of wrote itself that way. A brief note: I've selected seven special mutants to work on Rogue's gov sponsored team (if anyone has any suggestions for names for that team, let me know. So far I'm working with 'FORCE,' but I ain't that happy with it). There are reasons behind each of them being there. You'll meet her team in the next chapter.  
Note: Lapin is Emil's nickname. It means rabbit. 

Also, I am going away to North Carolina next week, and I don't know about the internet availability. I'll be bringing my laptop and probably working on this story, and I've got some great chapters already written--sadly, the plot has not taken us there yet. But we'll get there! So, just a head's up about that…

Oh, an important question. Can anyone tell me how to go back and edit a chapter once it's been posted online without erasing the whole thing? I read over 'What's the harm in one dance' and want to fix a few things…

Review Responses:

Cat2fat900: Yay! My first review! Forever you have a special place in my heart--even though you offered me Pepsi. (If forced to drink soda, I'm a Coke girl ;)). I'm glad you had that reaction too. I didn't even realize that I had set myself up for that until after I reread the chapter. Hope you liked this one too!

Kitrazzle Fayn: Aww, you're so sweet! I can't tell you how much your review encouraged me. And pressured me! If it's official this soon in the game, I only hope I don't let you down!

Coldqueen: I hope this was soon enough for you. Glad you liked it!

Ishandahalf: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you're liking this story. As for 'darkness' yeah, I'm trying to give it a sort of edgey feel. I'm glad it's working. And Rogue…ya know, most of my thoughts of her were formed from the 90s cartoon. She flirted right back and didn't take any crap, but she wouldn't let Gambit get close because she didn't want to hurt him. So the way I'm working with her right now plays into that a little. I don't like it when she's made helpless and afraid. She's had some time now to adjust to her powers, and she's willing to let others know what it's like not to have something that they crave…some of the time, anyway. She wouldn't be Rogue if she wasn't conflicted. I know that this wasn't bunny-on-crack quickness, and I have very little faith in this chapter, but I hope that you like it anyway.

ChicaDeLosOjosCafe: Thank you for your kind review:0) Hope you like this one.

IISGREAT: Yes, there will be Romy. They might have to go through some twists to get there, but there will most definitely be Romy.

Encantedlight: Glad you liked it! Hope you like the update.


	3. How Sugar Leads to Toothaches

**Disclaimer**: The words are mine but the characters ain't.

* * *

Chapter three: How Sugar Leads to Toothaches 

She closed her eyes.

She frickin' closed her eyes and turned away, shutting him out completely.

He narrowed his eyes. _Remy can see dat y' keep yaself from de world, _petite_. But hidin'_ _yaself from me just ain't an option. 'M gonna get inside ya, Rogue. De harder ya push, de more fun it is fo' Gambit. Ya too _belle_ fo' dis tief t' resist. 'M gonna steal ya heart away, _fille_. Ya can look away as much as ya want, it won't make no difference in de end._

Remy extended his empathy towards her again and was surprised to find…nothing. It was as if the woman sitting next to him didn't exist.

He noticed that her breathing had slowed and her already alabaster skin was even more pale.

Concerned, he leaned forward to see her face more clearly.

Feeling her warm breath on his face, he was reassured…and suddenly aware of just _how_ close he was to her. Remy examined her flawless features, his eyes devouring her face as a connoisseur studies a painting. He didn't miss the smooth sheen of her skin, or the tempting ripeness of her lips.

_What if de _femme _made it up? _he thought suddenly. _What if it's just a ploy t' get me t' leave her alone?_

Not certain how he felt if that was the case, Remy figured that there was only one way to find out. Firmly locking away anything that he didn't want her to know, and bringing to the forefront of his mind only how _belle_ he thought she was, Remy leaned towards her lips.

He was a breath away when her eyes popped open and she jerked herself away from him.

"What the hell, LeBeau! D'ya have a death wish? 'Cause Ah'd be happy to oblige in some other way!"

_Merde, _he thought. _I t'ought de _fille _was _belle _before. When she's mad she's _"_Tres magnifique_," he said aloud.

Those sparkling emeralds that she had the audacity to refer to as eyes narrowed dangerously, "Ah beg youah pardon?"

Remy recognized the warning signals--a thickening accent, narrowed eyes, and false calm politeness? Yup, she was probably dangerously close to completely losing her temper. Remy liked to live dangerously. "Remy didn't t'ink it possible, but y' even more belle when ya mad, _cherie_." He let out a low whistle and shook his head slightly.

Rogue shot to her feet, flushing. "Ya bloomin' idiot! What were ya tryin' ta do? Ya wanna kill yaself, do it some other way! Ah do not want yer filthy thoughts in mah head."

_So dere be more den one way t' get t' de _fille.

Remy also stood and held up his hands reassuringly, "Easy, _chere_. S'just dat Remy never heard of a mutation like yours b'fore. He wanted t' make sure y' weren't playin' him."

Rogue's breathing became a little more even, but her eyes narrowed even further. "Ah wasn't playin'. An' regardless, ya have no right ta try an' touch meh without mah permission."

_She really is a Sout'ern Belle._

"_Je désolé, cherie_."

Rogue put her clenched fists on her hips and laughed, "Like hell ya are."

Remy raised his eyebrows. He hadn't expected that response. He was intrigued by it.

Rogue was still smiling, and she shook her head slightly. "Don't try it again, Cajun." She sauntered over to him with her hands behind her back until only a few centimeters separated their bodies. "Or Ah just might let ya do it. An' trust me, ya won't like it."

Remy gulped. Part of him was screaming that he grab the girl in front of him and pull her to him and… But a more observant and trustworthy part of him was telling him that even though she had delivered those last lines in a sexy purr that made his blood boil, her eyes were hard and deadly serious.

_Ya ain't gonna get de _fille _if ya let her scare ya away._

So Remy tilted his head a little closer to her and whispered, "'M willin' t' try an' find out."

Rogue shrugged, "'K. Think happy thoughts, now."

And she leaned slowly forward--and smacked him with a bare hand.

The contact lasted less than a second, but Remy still staggered back. A mere slap--no matter how unexpected--would not have had that effect on him. He felt unaccountably weakened.

"What was dat for?" he said, reaching up a hand to rub his smarting cheek.

He drew in a startled breath when he saw Rogue's eyes change color to perfectly reflect his own.

Rogue shrugged, "Fastest way ta make and break contact. Ah wouldn't want ya ta think Ah was lyin' ta ya, sugah."

She bent to retrieve her fallen glove, and when she lifted her gaze to him again her eyes had returned to normal.

Remy narrowed his eyes. He honestly hadn't expected that she'd go through with it. At least, not like that… He'd been almost hoping that she had made it up--the inventiveness of the lie made up for the lie itself. But she hadn't, he'd seen her eyes change. _Maybe dat wasn't m' best idea. _

"What did y' get, _chere_?"

Rogue smirked, "Not much. Just ya eyes an' a word. Ah was kinda concentratin' on keepin' ya out, swamp rat."

"An' what word was dat, _petite_?" he said, hiding his relief that she hadn't seen too much about him. _Stupid idiot. What if she had seen about de Guild? What if she had seen about _her?

She hesitated, and then said "Gambit." Rogue looked at him, a sheen of curiosity covering the determination and fury sparkling in her eyes. "What's it mean ta ya, sugah?"

_Merde, _he thought. Remy thought quickly and remembered the way that she had picked his pocket and how well she had fought with him that morning. He decided to live up to his name.

XXXX

Rogue was still pissed. First Bishop and his asinine behavior, then the man that she had been _perfectly content_ to leave in the past as a handsome stranger that she had danced with had to show up and try and frickin' _kiss her_. After she had told him that she would suck his soul straight out! Was there a worst way to start the day?

Ah, there it was. The apprehension that always appeared after someone knew her powers. It had just taken him a little longer than most to realize the full ramifications of being touched by her.

_Stupid swamp rat. _

"An' what word was dat, _petite_?" he said.

_Thank Gawd that Ah have enough control now ta keep out most of his thoughts. Ah was just concentratin' on gettin' his eyes--a visible manifestation of his power that Ah wouldn't have ta worry about learnin' ta use. But the fact that this word slipped through mah shields must mean it was pretty important ta him. Ah wonder why…_

_No! Don't be curious about him! Ya want him ta disappear, remember? Curiosity implies interest an' interest means that both of ya will just get hurt._

"Gambit," she said.

_Spark-flicker-burn. _A girl could get lost in those eyes. But they couldn't hide his shock at the word she spoke.

"What's it mean ta ya, sugah?"

_Damn it, there Ah go. Oh well, might as well go along for the ride. It's not like ya'll see him after today. _Rogue studied his face closely. The man in front of her was _very _good at hiding his emotions, but there were always tells. She had to bite back a smirk when she saw the red beginning to form on his face from her slap. _OK, so maybe Ah didn't hafta hit him. Ah coulda just touched him an' controlled what Ah took. But he shouldn'ta come so close. Ah may not be able ta touch unless without hurtin' someone, but Ah can at least choose _who _Ah'm gonna hurt, damnit!_

'_Course, Ah understand _exactly _why he wanted ta find out if Ah was lyin'. Don't Ah just wish._

_Ah. A flare. He's come ta a decision. _

"Tell y' what, _chere_. Y' tell Remy how y' managed t' pick his pocket an' where ya learned t' fight like dat, an' he'll tell ya what Gambit means t' him."

_Aw hell. Now why'd he hafta go _there? "A young mutant gal all alone in the world? Ah'd be an idiot if Ah didn't pick up some self defense."

He smirked at her, "Self defense? An' is dat why y' were 'itchin' all mornin' fo' a good fight?'"

_Hell. Ah just_ had _ta let that drop. Ah_ really _need ta be more careful about what Ah say when Ah'm mad._

Rogue's eyes narrowed, "Are y' volunteerin', swampy?"

A careless shrug. "_Mais_, sure. But it still be too early t' fight an' Remy ain't even had breakfast yet."

_Good. Ya don't want ta hurt him….but he looked like he could handle himself. It's a rare man that can catch any punch o' mine. Ah wonder where he learned how ta fight like that…_

She raised her eyebrow. "Ya backin' out already?"

_Mah curiosity is gonna send me straight ta the insane asylum one day. Ah just know it._

Remy took out a pack of cards and shuffled them expertly. "Jus' offering t' make it a bit more interestin'. Remy knows a great place t' work out frustration. He'll meet y' dere tonight at 7:30. Dis way, we don' have t' worry 'bout de county cops comin' in and breakin' up de fun."

_Now that is the strangest date Ah've ever been asked ta go ta. 'Meet me at 7:30 so ya can beat the crap out of me.'_

"Ah don't plan on walkin' around frustrated all day, swamp rat."

He slithered up to her and traced a gloved finger down her arm, "_Bon_. Dere be more den one way t' get rid of frustration, _cherie_."

_Is he tryin' ta die? Or should Ah be seriously concerned about his sanity?_

"Ah've told ya not ta touch me," Rogue spoke in a low, controlled voice.

His eyes, which had been following the caresses of his finger, lifted up to hers full of false innocence. "Remy's not afraid of your power. He touched y' just fine last night. Or do ya not remember our dance, _cherie_?"

_He's not afraid of mah power…and he's touching me to prove it._ Rogue needed a moment to digest this.

It was--evidently--a longer moment than she had thought, because when she became aware of her surroundings again, he had stepped very close to her and his other hand was busy mimicking the motions of the first on her other arm. His face was too close to hers and his eyes…were hypnotizing, drawing her in, tracing the contours of her face with longing…

_Damnit._ She slapped his hands off of her and stepped back again, "Maybe ya're just not aware of what Ah can do ta ya," she growled.

Remy's lips twitched upwards and his eyes began a leisurely perusal of her body, making sure that she almost _felt_ his gaze. "Oh, Remy's got a few ideas about dat, _chere_."

Rogue gasped. She couldn't believe his audacity--hadn't she just told him that she couldn't touch? Why was he rubbing her face in it? But she looked at his face, full of such open desire, and realized that he really _did_ have a few ideas about it. He had known about her mutation for less than ten minutes and he had already thought up some way around it to get what he wanted.

Rogue had to be impressed, and very relieved that she hadn't absorbed him. _He must have one of the dirtiest minds in creation._

Rogue laughed.

Remy pulled his lecherous gaze up from her body and focused on her lips.

"Ya are something else, swamp rat."

He smirked, "Remy knows it."

Rogue shook her head, still grinning.

_But it ain't gonna happen, Cajun. Ah'm not just another notch on your bedpost. _

"Well, not that it hasn't been fun," Rogue winked, "but Ah think it's high time for me ta be going."

She turned and began walking away.

She wasn't too surprised to find him walking with her, "Why ya always gotta walk away from dis Cajun, _chere_?"

Rogue shrugged, "Ah figured ya'd enjoy the view."

Remy grinned, "Ain't _dat_ de truth. But _cherie_, Remy likes lookin' at your _belle _face even better."

And he reached out one hand to turn her around by the shoulder.

Rogue looked at his hand, and then back up to his face, and spoke very, very quietly. "Is there a part of 'don't touch me' that ya don't understand?"

Remy's face was full of innocence, "De 'don't' part sometimes gives Remy trouble," he admitted. But he removed his hand.

Rogue continued walking.

"So do ya want Remy t' pick ya up tonight, _chere_?"

Rogue stopped walking and looked at him, a little confused.

"'Cause if not, ya need ta know where t' go, neh?"

_Oh right. The perfect place ta 'work out frustration.'_

"Ah don't remember agreein' ta go anywhere with ya, Cajun."

He flashed a grin, "Remy knows he's irresistible t' ya, _belle_."

"As a toothache," she smiled back at him.

"Did ya know dat Shakespeare used toot'aches t' symbolize sexual frustration?"

Rogue snorted. "What?"

"Really, it's true," Remy insisted. Rogue barely noticed that he had placed three fingers on her elbow and was gently guiding the direction that they were walking. Barely.

_Ah have to admit, he's good. _She decided to go along with it for now.

"An' how would ya know that?"

"Got stuck in an elevator wit' an English professor once. De _homme _had just finished presentin' his doctoral t'esis. Iago's toot'ache was all he could talk about."

Rogue bit back a laugh. "How long were ya stuck in the elevator?"

"T'ree hours," he said mournfully.

There was nothing for it. Rogue threw back her head and laughed.

"S'not funny," Remy protested.

She looked over at him and saw the glimmer of pained amusement in his eyes.

"Ya know it is," she said.

He put on a disappointed frown and shook his head, "Remy wouldn't a' t'ought it of ya, Roguey. Laughin' at a poor man's sufferin' like dat."

Rogue stopped walking and turned to glare at him, hands on her hips. "_What_ did ya just call me?" her voice rose to a dangerous level.

"Umm…Rogue?"

"That's what Ah thought," she muttered and started walking again.

The came down off of the hill and Rogue whistled. "That's one beaut of a bike."

"Ya like?" Remy said, approaching it familiarly.

"What's not ta like about it?" she said, walking over to it.

"Dat's my baby," he said.

Rogue glanced up at him, but his eyes were fixed on the motorcycle. She relaxed, realizing that she wouldn't have to kick his butt. Some of the motorcycle enthusiasts in her head were salivating and clambering for a better view. She decided to oblige.

It was obviously expensive, well cared for, and _fast_. She knelt down along the side, peering at the craftsmanship. "Ya do any of this work yaself?"

Remy snorted, "As if I'd let just anyone touch her."

He knelt down beside her and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small bolt. He fastened it back onto the bike.

_So that if anyone tried to take it, they would meet with a very painful surprise. When he considers something 'his,' he watches out for it. And at least in the case of the bike, he'd rather have it wrecked than stolen. _Rogue was impressed, and a little wary_. Ya never know about those possessive types…but he doesn't seem like he'd hurt anyone pointlessly._

_Ya saying that because ya want it to be true or because it is true?_

_What does it matter? Ah'm not gonna see him after today._

Remy had been talking, explaining what he had done to the bike.

"Ya do good work, sugah," she said.

He winked at her. "Remy is very good wit' his hands."

"And so modest," she smiled, teasing him.

"Ya t'ink so too?" he replied, grinning at her.

Rogue rolled her eyes. _Wait a minute…a man with a motorcycle. And this _is _the northeast section of the park…An' Remy sure as hell ain't gonna take meh to Bishop's 'contact point'… _

XXXX

Remy was even more impressed with Rogue than before. She knew how to appreciate a good bike. _Is dis girl for real, or am I dreaming? Wait, if I were dreaming, we wouldn't just be standin' here…_

Rogue looked up from where she had been examining the bike with a decidedly wicked look in her eyes. "Remy, this is the northeast section of the park, right?"

His mouth went dry at the way she said his name. No woman had ever effected him this way just by _speaking_ before. "_Oui_."

"That's what Ah thought," and she stood, smirking with her hands on her hips.

Remy wondered if she knew that standing that way thrust out her breasts. Then he decided that he didn't care if she knew, and just enjoyed the view.

"Why don't ya show me this place ya wanna meet meh tonight?"

He raised an eyebrow. Sure, he had lead her to the bike with that intention, but he hadn't thought she'd give in so easily. "So ya're gonna meet Remy tonight?"

Still smirking, Rogue took the helmet he extended to her. "If Ah like what Ah see."

"Not ta worry, _chere_. Remy has good taste." He got on the bike.

"If Ah go by ya choice in bikes, Ah'd hafta agree with ya. But ya sure make strange plans for a date."

Remy tried to suppress his body's reaction to her sliding on the bike behind him. For a moment he tried to remember back to when he was this strongly attracted to anyone. Then he decided not to waste his time and twisted around to face her on the bike. Their faces were only a breath apart. _One of de many reasons why I love motorcycles._

"Remy don't hear ya complain'."

Rogue's eyes were wide. _She's scared of being this close to anyone, _he realized. _But she's trying hard to not show it. _He took a sadistic pleasure in pushing his body a little closer to hers.

"That's 'cause Ah'm lookin' forward to wipin' the floor with ya smirk," she grinned at him.

He leaned in even closer, his breath caressing her face. "Ya welcome ta try, _belle_."

And before she had a chance to respond, he had turned around and gunned the motorcycle. "Hold on tight!" he shouted.

Remy thought he heard Rogue muttering something about a 'death hold,' but he ignored it and prepared himself for the inevitable wrapping of arms around his waist.

Once again, Rogue surprised him. Evidently, not only could she appreciate the workmanship on a bike, but she also knew how to ride one rather well. She clung to the bike with her legs and only lightly placed her hands on his shoulders.

His initial plan had been to prolong the ride so that he could enjoy the feel of her body pressed up against his. But since Rogue was being so disobliging…

"Dere's de place," he said, only slowing the bike so that she could get a good look at it. "24th Glen and Bakker." Then he revved the bike again, unable to hear her response.

He pulled over at a Starbucks. "M'lady," he said, waiting for her to dismount.

"Good suh," she responded. "Ya have brought meh ta the land of caffeine. Ah do thank ya kindly."

"Y' are most welcome, madame," he said, getting off the bike and bowing gravely. He replaced his image inducer. Then he turned away for a moment and unscrewed a bolt from his bike. Remy half expected that Rogue would have walked into the store without him, but when he turned around she still stood there, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Ya're a bit protective of her," she commented and lightly placed her arm over his after he extended it. He thought he saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes when she noticed that his were brown again, but he wasn't sure.

"Remy just knows dat locks can't keep out a determined t'ief. Wouldn't want anyone takin' her somewhere she don't belong."

"Yeah, ya would know about that, wouldn't ya," she commented softly.

Remy glanced at her sharply, gauging the depth of her comment. But she was still walking beside him innocently. _She's just referin' t' de little incident wit' her wallet. _"'pparently ya also have some experience in dose matters," he replied with equal softness.

Rogue shrugged. "Ya pick up a few things here and there."

_Dat don't explain much, Rogue, _he thought._ How_ did _ya feel it when I took yer wallet?_

They entered the coffee shop. It was still early, there was hardly a line. "After ya," Remy said.

She smiled at him again. He loved the way it lit up her face. Even in her workout clothes, without a speck of make-up on her, Rogue was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

_A worthy mark fo' de Prince of T'ieves._

Rogue smiled at the girl over the counter and said "Tall, regular."

The girl smiled back and turned to Remy, flushing just looking at him. He smiled back at her. Remy loved having that effect on women. "Grande expresso, _petite_. Two shots." He winked at her.

The girl's blush deepened, but she turned away to get them their orders.

Remy turned to Rogue, only to find her leaning against the condiments table, an amused expression on her face and a smirk in her eyes.

_Wonder what's so funny? _He only raised an eyebrow at her, "Remy take ya to de capitol of coffee, an' all ya get is a tall regular?"

Rogue shrugged. "Ah like what Ah like."

He smirked at her and walked up to stand directly in front of her. "An' what do ya like, _cherie_?" he purred.

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Personal space, for one thing." And she neatly sidestepped him to go to the counter and get her coffee.

Remy admired how smoothly she walked away.

Rogue took the cup and moved to pay the girl. "Ah-uh, _chere_!" he intercepted her. "De gentleman always pays."

Rogue shrugged, "It's your money." Then she raised an eyebrow as if to add, _Isn't it?_

He just smirked at her, and she disappeared back to the condiment table.

When he turned around, Rogue had the top of the coffee off and was pouring sugar into it. There were already four empty packets on the table.

He whistled. "Dat's a lot of sugar, _chere_."

Rogue shrugged. "It's a failsafe combination. If the caffeine doesn't get me up, the sugah will."

Remy was about to say something when Rogue's cell phone went off. The tinsely sound cut through the guitar music Starbucks was playing and made him wince.

"Did ya never hear of ringtones, _chere_?"

Rogue made a face at him and flipped open her cell phone. "Hello? … No, Ah'm at a local Starbucks….Well, ya see, Ah met this guy in Kingsley Park this mornin' an' he offered ta give meh a ride on his motorcycle, an' this is where we ended up…Just some random guy, who knows how many of them were in the northeast section of the park? … OK, OK, ya're right, Ah shouldn't go for rides with strangers…Yeah, Ah'll meet ya there."

She closed the phone and smiled apologetically at Remy, but he could see the mirth dancing in her eyes. "Ah hafta go."

"Who was dat, _petite_?"

"One of mah overprotective friends. They want ta see that Ah'm still alive after mah 'harrowing experience.' Thanks for the coffee." She took a deep sip and set it back on the table. "That'll keep me til Ah meet 'em for breakfast."

"Do ya want Remy t' take ya?"

She grinned up at him, "No, Ah don't think so, Remy. But thanks for the offer."

_The way she said his name… _Remy had to shake himself out of his daydream. He called to her retreating figure. "See ya tonight, _chere_!"

"Ah'll do mah best," she tossed over her shoulder.

He watched her walk away until he couldn't see her anymore. _What's de matter wit' me? I shoulda at least got her phone number! De perfect opportunity was right dere! I just can't tink straight wit' dat _femme _around…_

Remy took a sip of what was left of her coffee and winced at the sugary concoction. He thought he was beginning to develop a toothache.

* * *

AN: OK, I know it's been a while. But I would like to say that this chapter was so stinkin' slippery to write! I must have rewritten the beginning at least three times. Then for the past three days, FF had a bug and I couldn't log in. And I know I said I'd introduce you to Rogue's team in this chapter, but it went in another direction. And really, you wanted them to have a motorcycle ride, right? 

Oh, and that bit about Shakespeare and a toothache just came out because this past week I had a _killer_ of a toothache and it was _my_ Shakespeare professor who thought that Iago's toothache was why he tried to destroy Othello--unfulfilled sexual frustration.

I've decided that I'm gonna tell you guys my favorite line from the chapters that I write, just 'cause. With this one it was: _Is he tryin' ta die? Or should Ah be seriously concerned about his sanity?_

Chpt two: Hell, he was frustrated.

Chpt one: She stared straight ahead of herself, wishing not for the first time that being unable to touch also meant that she was not able to feel. (Which I was able to add in thanks to those who told me how to edit. Thank you!)

Review Responses:

Cat:sips Coke: Is it cherry? Anyway, yeah I'm working with the fact that they'll both walk out of the encounter unscathed--if they can manage to keep the level as two strangers. But if they start to open up, to show who they are…well then…that could be a problem for their hearts. The more they see of each other, the deeper they're gonna fall. Mwa-ha-ha! And, usually, I like Bishop too…but he's not gonna be very nice to Rogue in this story. Thanks for the tip on how to fix it!

Ish: Yes, it's still very much at just the challenge level for Remy. Poor sap. He doesn't know what he's getting into. What _will_ he do if his own heart starts to be at stake? Glad you like their interaction, they make me grin. (When they're happy cooperative little characters.) And yeah, Rogue's trying to push him away…but have you noticed how nice she's being about it? Wonder how long that will last…

Coldqueen: Remy is a guy. He thinks he's invincible and irresistible. One or none of these are true. ;0) Thanks for the review!

Bored247: Glad you liked it! Fantabulous, huh:Grin: Thanks a bunch!

Enchantedlight: Here's your update! Sorry it wasn't that soon.

I'm A Free Spirit: Glad you liked it! Thanks for the review, hope you like this bit!

Roguechere: Hey, thanks so much! Hooked from the get go--yay! Yes, Remy and his mind games…he thinks he's all that…we'll not disillusion him _too_ much, 'cause, ya know, he almost is. What I like about that "eye" bit is that even though he only _thinks_ he's making himself vulnerable, he totally is. He's already in deeper than he knows, but he's still got a long way to fall… :evil grin: Hope that you liked this bit.

Kitrazzle Fayn: Yay! So glad you liked it. Yeah…security system…what can I say, he's a thief who sees a challenge. I'm glad you liked Rogue's phone thingy. Struggled for a while coming up with that one, and I had a handy-dandy explanation for it too…but then I decided that Rogue wouldn't really care how it worked as long as it worked. Which was good, because my explanation was maybe a _bit_ far fetched. Sigh…Bishop…yes…what are we going to do with him? Hopefully, he'll learn to behave. Thanks for the offer of the OC, I will keep that in mind! I'm planning on keeping the focus pretty much on Remy and Rogue, but I'll let ya know!

Wrapped in Banana Foil: Thanks! Here it is, hope you like it too. :0)

Chica De Los Ojos Café: Yes, they started opening up…and the fun is just beginning, mwa-ha-ha! I'm so glad you liked it. Hope you enjoyed this bit.

Lyrit Liltrick: I put this in Evo because I'm a little more familiar with the relationships in that one than I am with the X-comic folk. For example: Kitty and Rogue…how close are they in the comics? I don't know. But either way, it's AU and I'm glad you found it:0) Thanks for the tip on proper 'y'all' usage. I will just try to remember it's like 'youse guys' and make it better! Thanks again! Ooo, an 'angst whirlygig of romance fun!' What a great line! Glad you liked the characterization and intro. Sigh…I like the intro too. Hope the rest of it can live up to it!

Reviews for Our Masks (because I want to respond and say THANK YOU):

Bored247: So glad you liked it! Yes, unabashedly fluffy and eventual overcoming--yay!  
Ish: Wow, you really liked it? And I got a gold star! Happy dance! I'm so glad I posted it then, since it was just hanging around…Yeah, the thing is, people's masks usually _are_ part of them. I believe that it's possible to be completely real, but also react different ways in different situations with different people, and it'll all be a facet of your personality. Those facets become masks when you use them when you normally wouldn't…so yeah, I've spent a lot of time thinking about that. Maybe that's why it came out so real? It means a lot to me that you thought it was really good. When I was struggling with this chapter, I'd go back and look at your review and be like: OK, I have to start feeding my plot bunnies crack. Type fingers, Type!  
Thegambit23: Thank ya, thank ya:0)  
Lyric Liltrick: Glad you think it worked out well. I was hoping that it wasn't too quick. And thanks for the props on the Mystique/Logan scene…that exchange is what started this whole thing, only with Remy/Rogue as speakers.  
BananaPanda: Thank you very much! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!  
Cat: Aww, thanks! And for you, I will now accept anonymous reviewers. Aww, you faved it! Wow, I feel special. :Big old grin: Yeah, see what I said to ish about the masks, because I just finished writing this chapter and my fingers are starting to get tired. And the squirrels like it? Are the squirrels your friends? Because I have friends who think that squirrels are evil and trying to take over the world. I'd love to come back at them with an alternative theory! So…yeah…Thanks. :0)  
Kit: Glad you liked it and thought it was true. I thought it was fun. Yeah, I guess "Shall we Dance" works, it just keeps making me think of that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie," even though I was going for the more metaphorical that you picked up on. ;0)Rogue238: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks! And thanks for the offer to send me a chapter, I appreciate it! I really like A Split in Reality! It's such fun, and I'm glad that my computer decided to behave so that I could read it again.


	4. A Change of Tempo

**Disclaimer**: I own some things, but none of these characters. French is a language best written by those who know it, but I'm ignoring that rule.

* * *

Chapter four: A Change of Tempo 

_On second thought, maybe today wasn't such a bad day, _Rogue smirked as she glanced over at Remy paying for their coffees. She ripped open another package of sugar. He was shamelessly flirting with the girl behind the counter. She had to be at least eight years younger than him.

_He just can't turn it off, _she laughed. _It's like breathing ta him._ Most women would be ticked off that their 'date' was flirting with someone else. Rogue would have been too--if she considered Remy LeBeau in any way hers. But as it was, he was just a stranger--an admittedly hot stranger--that she had bumped into a couple of times and used to expose Bishop's incompetence. And showing up Bishop would improve her mood any day.

Besides, watching him soak in the teenage girl's appreciation was kinda funny.

He finished paying for their coffees, and Rogue turned back to loading her coffee with sugar.

She felt him as he approached, but she refused to turn and acknowledge him.

He whistled, "Dat's a lot of sugar, _chere_."

_It's the only way Ah can stand the stuff. _She shrugged, "It's a failsafe combination. If the caffeine doesn't get me up, the sugah will."

Remy was about to say something when her cell phone went off.

"Did ya never hear of ringtones, _chere_?" she could hear the wince in his voice.

_Yeah, it's just that this phone is loaded with too much useful technology ta make any room for 'em. _So she made a face at him and answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Rogue, I assume that you're ready to hear the secondary entrance procedure? Since it's obvious that I sent an agent to meet you for nothing. " Bishop's voice came through, irritated and self-satisfied.

Rogue struggled to hide a smirk. "No, Ah'm at a local Starbucks."

"And why should I care about that?"

"Well, ya see, Ah met this guy in Kingsley Park this mornin' an' he offered ta give meh a ride on his motorcycle, an' this is where we ended up."

Rogue found Bishop's short silence profound, and she had to struggle to keep herself from giggling. _Man, Kitty would have loved this._

"What section of the park?" Bishop's voice was strangled.

"Just some random guy, who knows how many of them were in the northeast section of the park?"

"My agent…must have missed you."

_Or ya didn't send him at all. _"OK, OK, ya're right, Ah shouldn't go for rides with strangers." _And ya should come up with less ludicrous protocols._

"I'll transmit the location of our base to your phone of a secure line. The meeting's at nine."

"Yeah, Ah'll meet ya there." _There, a nice simple encrypted message over a secure line. Was that so hard?_

Apparently so, because Bishop hung up without so much as a goodbye. She could just see him fuming that his foolish plan to humiliate her and backfired. Rogue was having a _very_ hard time refraining from laughing.

_Time ta play "believable lie." _"Ah hafta go."

"Who was dat, _petite_?" He gave her a half smile and there was genuine warmth in his false brown eyes. She almost didn't want to go.

"One of mah overprotective friends. They want ta see that Ah'm still alive after mah harrowing experience. Thanks for the coffee." She took a deep sip and set it back on the table. "That'll keep me til Ah meet 'em for breakfast." _Or briefing. Ya know, whatever._

"Do ya want Remy t' take ya?"

_Aww, how sweet. But no, Ah don't think takin' ya ta top secret government base is exactly appropriate for a first date, sugah. _

She grinned up at him, "No, Ah don't think so, Remy. But thanks for the offer."

_Time ta go, Rogue. _She satisfied herself with one more quick look at his all-too-gorgeous physique and thought, _No, today wasn't that bad after all._

She felt his eyes on her as she walked out.

"See ya tonight, _chere_!" he called to her as she approached the door.

"Ah'll do mah best," she said without turning around. _Ah can't promise anything, but Ah think Ah might just do mah best ta meet ya there, Remy LeBeau._

She knew he was standing there watching her as she walked away. Somehow, this pleased her.

Rogue waited until she was sure that he hadn't followed her and that she was in a safe enough area before opening up her phone and checking on the coordinates that Bishop had sent her. The base was somewhere in the center of town. FORCE was big on 'hiding in plane sight,' a philosophy which she wholeheartedly approved. She had time to walk there, but she didn't have time to go back to her hotel and shower and change if she wanted to make it there early. And Rogue always made it a point to be early.

_Oh well. It's not like they haven't seen me in sweats before. Maybe Ah'll be able ta use this opportunity ta talk Carol inta lettin' meh rent a car. Walking a city is the best way ta get information about it, but that phase is over now and Ah'm startin' ta miss mah bike._

_Of course, droolin' over Remy's custom fitted Harley might have had somethin' ta do with that._

_Be honest, girl. That wasn't the only thing ya were drooling over._

It wasn't that she _liked_ him. No. Certainly not. But it was more than just attraction. It was…chemistry. Yes. That's what it was, simple chemistry. Pheromones pushing and pulling her in his direction, causing long dormant butterflies to take flight. But it certainly wasn't because she found him charming, intelligent, witty, or amusing. No. It was chemistry. That was all.

Rogue had always enjoyed chemistry. She decided that, yes, she would meet Remy tonight, if business permitted.

But now, she had to push all those thoughts away. She was approaching the coordinates that Bishop had sent her. It was the town post office, a plain brick building with so much more lying underneath. Rogue slipped around the side of the building and looked for the entrance. It appeared to be a plain metal door, but Rogue knew that no one in SHIELD or FORCE would be stupid enough to use metal as part of the security system. She stepped up to the unobtrusive alley way entrance and looked hard for the retina scanner. Ah, there it was--cleverly disguised as a chip in the brick of the building. She crouched slightly and stared into it. Her identity confirmed, a bit of the brick wall detached and slid out and to the right, revealing what looked to be a plastic cup holder. Rogue ran her hand through her hair, plucking out a loose strand and dropped it in the cup. The DNA tester further confirmed her identity. Rogue heard a click and the door opened. As she moved towards the door, the brick wall returned to normal. _It would have been all too easy for Mystique ta bypass,_ she thought. _But Ah don't know anyone else who could do it._

Still, she was relieved that they had taken her suggestion and stood still on the sensor pad as it measured her current height, weight, bioelectrical signals, heartbeat, and brainwaves. Mystique could imitate nearly everything else and easily steal a DNA sample, but there was no way she could have fooled a brain scan. Stepping off of the sensor pad before the scan was complete, or coming up with the slightest discrepancy in projected records meant that the alarm would sound, the corridor would be immediately sealed off, and knock out gas pumped into the room as SHIELD operatives converged on the trapped intruder.

"Rogue identity confirmed," the cool female voice of the computer echoed in the dimly lit chamber, and it switched on the glaring fluorescent lights so that Rogue's path would be lit.

An ironic smile twitched at the corners of her lips. "Don't Ah know it." _Too bad they wouldn't take mah advice about fluorescent lighting. Ah know it's cheaper, but it's such shock ta the system. _

She began to walk through the empty corridor, knowing that it took her deeper and deeper underground. _It is amazing ta me how they get each and every single one of these ta look like carbon copies of the original. Ah mean, familiarity is nice, but _some_ form of originality in design would be appreciated. Lack of imagination shows stagnation. O' course, they would just say that it's just transportin' all the comforts of home. _

Finally, she reached the briefing room. Rogue removed a glove and placed her hand on the scanning pad next to the door. "Identity confirmed" and the time flashed across the screen in red, and the door slid up.

Rogue replaced her glove and stepped into the briefing room. It was glaringly white, as usual. Her attention was immediately drawn to the large furry blue man hanging upside-down next to the metallic conference table.

"Greetings and salutations," he said, turning on the parallel bars that ran across the ceiling to greet Rogue. Beast slid his black rimmed glasses off his nose and gave her a gentle feral grin.

"That's mah way of sayin' hello," Rogue responded. "Charlotte's Web."

Hank McCoy chuckled and carelessly flipped down from the ceiling, neatly missing the sheer plastic screens supported on white plastic bases that were scattered in seemingly random spots throughout the room. If Rogue hadn't seen the same exact layout in every other FORCE base, she would have wondered what they were for. As it was, she knew that they were various advanced computers, waiting to be voice-activated.

"What, Ah don't rate some Shakespeare after all this time?" she grinned at him.

"It's only been a month, Rogue. And how was your vacation?"

Rogue groused and walked over the table, sinking down in one of the uncomfortably straight-backed chairs. "Ah think ya know that as well as Ah do, sugah. After all, there was surveillance on me wherever Ah went."

Beast returned to the ceiling and latched onto the bars running across the room with his feet, walking over to hang upside-down in front of Rogue. He had found that with most people, this sort of action was, to say the least, disorienting. But Rogue enjoyed watching him have fun. It was one of the qualities that endeared her to him.

"Miss Danvers merely wished to insure that you did not do anything rash," he frowned down at her, knowing full well that his frown came out as a smile in his current position.

Rogue grinned at him and leaned back on her chair, "Sugah, this argument should be takin' place between me and a certain Fearless Leader. Ya don't need ta defend her. An' Ah know it wasn't your decision. But Ah bet they had ya behind the controls most of the time, huh? Did ya like that little display in Athens?"

Beast felt the blood rush to his head, and it wasn't from his upside-down position. He coughed something that Rogue didn't quite catch.

She leaned forward with a big grin on her face, "But wasn't it at least a lil' bit funny when he ended up with feta cheese in his ear and baklava in his hair?"

Beast couldn't help it, he burst out laughing at the memory.

Rogue smirked and leaned back in her seat. "Maybe next time ya'll come with me. That way Ah wouldn't have ta worry about no peepin' Tom's."

"No, merely eluding your escort," he responded.

"Hank, honey, ya know me well," Rogue grinned unrepentantly at the man. "So where is everyone? Are we the first one's here again?"

"'Early morning hath gold in its mouth,'" Beast said, moving along the bars to hang over his seat. "Benjamin Franklin." And he flipped down, landing neatly in his oversized chair, performing casual acrobatics that would have made the most skilled trapeze artist green with envy.

"Ah must be movin' up in the world. Ta go from a spider ta a president," she winked at Hank.

His fur bristled, "On the contrary, Rogue, Charlotte was a kind, inventive, spider who saved a friend's life. Benjamin Franklin was simply a womanizing statesmen who dabbled in inventions." He winked back, knowing full well the Rogue did not think that Ben Franklin was a president and was only trying to ruffle his fur. He was relieved to have this friend who wasn't the slightest bit intimidated by him, and he was happy to joke around with her.

Rogue laughed. She knew that she was clinging desperately to having a good time with Hank. Soon people would be entering the room who she really did not want to see…and people would not be entering the room who she really did want to see. But this was her first op since her "vacation," and Rogue was eager to get back to work.

With a _swish_, the door to the briefing room opened and Tessa entered, precisely on time. Her long black hair was tied in a simple braid and she wore a severe black pantsuit that accentuated her lean figure. Tessa's normally placid demeanor broke into a smile when she saw Rogue.

"It is good to see you again, Rogue."

Rogue smiled shyly at her friend, "It's good ta be seen, Tessa. Ah trust that Bishop's recovered from that lil' incident in the park?"

Tessa's smile flickered for a moment, "It was an…unfortunate occurrence. I wish that he had consulted me on forming a proper entrance procedure for you. I am surprised that you went along with it."

Rogue let out a small sigh of relief, knowing that Tessa's excellent analyzation skills would pick it up and her mannerisms interpreted twenty different ways only to match with Tessa's records of her past actions to come up with the most probable cause of her body's movements, and that all this would take place in less than a second. _At least Bishop hasn't robbed her of her common sense. She doesn't seem as keen on him as she did when Ah left. Ah wonder what happened?_

Rogue propped her elbows on her knees and leaned towards Tessa with a grin. "Ta tell ya the truth, sugah, Ah almost didn't. But the man with the motorcycle was _fine_," she finished with a wink.

Tessa grinned back at Rogue, "So it was one of those 'Take me wherever you want me, handsome' ventures?"

Rogue snorted. _He wishes._ "No harm in lookin', Tess."

Tessa's smile flickered again, and she sat down. "No…"

Before Rogue could respond, or inquire about the sudden sadness in Tessa's eyes, the door swished opened again, and the remaining members of their team entered the briefing room.

The co-founder and leader of the team strode in first. Carol Danvers was a powerful woman in every sense of the word. Her blonde hair was cut short and hung in a bob around her chin. She wore a navy uniform with an Asian collar and three buttons down the side. Her eyes automatically scanned the room as she entered, landing on Rogue with a brief smile before her business-like demeanor returned.

_Carol Danvers…ya and Ah are goin' ta have words. _She was like a big sister to Rogue. An annoying big sister who always thought that she knew what was best. Like big sister who thought she was the mother. Rogue had had enough of mothers to last for a lifetime. _After insistin' Ah take a break, Ah can not believe all the surveillance ya put on meh, gal! An' then ta call me back for an op that Bishop is in charge of…we need ta clarify a few things, Major. _But Rogue respected Carol as a leader, she was tough, fair, willing to hear all opinions, didn't tolerate nonsense, and made hard decisions that she had to live with. They had each helped each other through some hard times in their life, and there was a true understanding and loyalty between them.

Emma Frost followed Carol into the room. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back in an obviously expensive and time consuming style. She was dressed in an immaculate and seductive white dress that somehow managed to clash with the sterile white of the briefing room. She didn't walk into the room, she _sashayed, _her trademark diamonds sparkling in the fluorescent light.

Rogue immediately double checked her mental blocks. _Ah don't like her, Ah don't trust her, an' Ah don't see why we have ta work with her. The information that she gave us ta take down the Hellfire Club was not worth what she tried ta do ta me. Ah don't like accommodating her questionable methods or her continued presence here… Ah wish Carol had let me take her out. Damn the "usefulness" of her powers, her "willingness" ta serve, and her "desire ta make amends."_

Lucas Bishop followed them in, his gaze coldly taking in every aspect of the room. He had tied his long black hair back in a pony tail and was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Despite his attempt to look casual, he was holding a very large gun in his hand like it was an extension of his arm.

_Ah believe this is the part where Ah make some sly remark about 'compensation.' Maybe that's why Tessa looked so disappointed… Ah wonder what happened ta him that turned him inta such a jerk? He was much easier ta get along with when he first joined the team, seemed more competent too… _

They each took their regular seats along the oblong table in the center of the room.

Rogue forced back the hitch in her throat when she saw that, since each FORCE base was an identical copy of the original, they still hadn't done anything about the two empty seats.

_With all their talk of 'moving on' ya would think that they would at least utilize the space a little better and get rid of those seats!_

She stared accusingly across the table to the empty chair next to Emma, doing her best to ignore the empty seat to her left. _Or we could at least sit in different spots! _

"Has anybody heard anything about Bobby?" she asked.

"When last we heard, he was successful in his intention of joining with the X-Men," Tessa responded.

"Vigilantes," Carol said.

"Extremely well organized and effective vigilantes," Bishop added.

"Whatever," Rogue said. "Ah'm just glad ta hear that he's all right.

"Indeed," Hank said. "Although we miss our former companion's presence, it is heartening to recognize that he is doing well and furthering his ambitions."

"Yes well, now that that's over with, can we get on to why we're here?" Emma's tone was bored and she was examining her French manicure.

Rogue felt her temper begin to boil. Bobby had left because of her, and Emma was just sitting there examining her nails as if he was no more important than a dead fly. _Let it go, Rogue. It's not your fight. Bobby let it go--he left. Ya don't need ta fight for him. Besides, she'd just _love_ ta see ya get all riled up._

Carol nodded, all business. "Bishop, you were the one who found the information regarding this case, as such you will be in charge of planning the op. Begin the briefing."

Bishop stood up and passed out slightly opaque plastic boards the size of a standard clipboard, complete with a dark pointer attached to the top. "This is the symbol of the Thieves Guild."

A holographic image appeared on the plastic sheet in Rogue's hand.

"We don't know how long the Guild's been around, but we're speculating at least three hundred years. It's base is in New Orleans. There are also rumors of a sister guild, the Assassins, but these rumors have yet to be confirmed. The Thieves are the best of the best. They usually deal with high priced merchandise, jewels, art, and information."

Images of items that were confirmed Guild heists appeared on the clipboard.

"But we've recently received information that they are beginning to venture into activities far more nefarious. We need to know what they're planning, and we need to stop it."

The clipboard filled with various reports. Rogue took the black pen and scrolled through them. _This all seems ta be fairly normal black market stuff. What does this have ta do with us?_

"We've received some of this information from the FBI and other parts of our most reliable underground connections. It's been confirmed that they're planning something big. We have to find out what it is and stop it."

"Wouldn't it be better to attempt to infiltrate the Guild in order to verify this information?" Tessa asked. "That way we would be in a unique position to stop it, and it would also give us the most information."

"That's a good idea, Tessa," Carol said. "We will certainly keep that option open."

Rogue narrowed her eyes, "Forgive mah ignorance, Bishop, but looking at their records, this really seems like stuff that the FBI can handle. We're here ta deal with mutant threats ta humanity. What does this have ta do with us?"

Bishop opened his mouth to respond, but Carol cut him off, "I understand your position, Rogue. But from what Bishop has told me, this is a very real threat and it deserves investigation. We're acting more as a scouts on this op. We're trying to ascertain whether or not action is necessary, depending on what they are trying to do. The information is in the Smartpad."

Rogue watched Carol as she spoke. She was direct, as usual, but there was some shifting of her eyes that Rogue hadn't seen since she had first met her. _Ya know Ah don't work without all the information, Carol. What are ya keepin' from me?_

"If the Guild is based down in New Orleans, then would that not be a more prudent location to begin our investigation?" Hank asked.

"Good question," Carol said. "The answer is that one of the Guild's key members has come up here for a vacation. Down in New Orleans, they will be much more cautious, but here, we have a much better chance at making contact and getting the necessary information."

Rogue thought she saw Carol glance warningly over at Bishop. But Bishop didn't respond, merely continuing. "As Carol stated, one of the Guild's highest ranking members has come to this city for vacation. He will, no doubt, be bored. We'll use him to get the information that we need about what the Guild is planning."

_On third thought, why do Ah ever bother having second thoughts? Murphy's Law could have been written with me in mind. _Remy LeBeau's profile smirked up at her in all of its holographic perfection.

"His name is Remy LeBeau, codename Gambit."

_No wonder it was important ta ya_, Rogue thought, her head spinning. Bishop was still speaking. She fought to pay attention.

"He has several known aliases, including Robert Lord, Damien Black, and_ Le Diable Blanc_. He was adopted into the "royal family" of the Guild at a young age and has never actually been caught. But you can see the list of crimes that he is associated with. Trust me when I say that this is a modest estimate."

Rogue took the black pointer and scrolled through the extensive and impressive list just like everyone else. She vaguely recognized the names of some of the heists that had been pulled off flawlessly.

_Ya hafta admit, he's good at what he does. _She remembered how smoothly he had picked her pocket.

"Due to the patriarchal nature of the guilds, LeBeau is referred to as "The Prince of Thieves." He has another title as well: The King of Hearts."

Various holographic images flickered onto her plastic screen. Poor peeping-tom shots of Remy with various women, his face always half-hidden, and not always in shadows.

_Ah knew ya were trouble._ She told herself that from the way he acted, she expected nothing less. Still…she felt a little disappointed knowing that she had been right. He was all talk, to him she was nothing more than a brief amusement. _Not that it matters. He's nothin' more than the target now._

"Due to this weakness, we've decided that the best way to get information would be to send in Emma. You can get his guard down and then read his mind, obtaining the information that we need in order to plan our next step."

Emma smiled a cat's-got-the-cream smile and studied the picture of Remy.

_Ah think Ah'm gonna be sick._

"It is also suspected, but not verified, that Gambit may be a mutant of unspecified abilities," Bishop continued.

Rogue noticed the glare that Carol sent him over this. But Bishop ignored her. "So use caution when you approach him, Emma. Remy LeBeau is a dangerous man."

If possible, Emma looked even more self-satisfied. "Should be fun," she said.

"We know that he's in this city. Now the only question remains is how do we track him down and make contact with him. Rogue, what did you find on your initial surveillance of this city?"

"Oh, Ah think Ah know how we can contact him," Rogue said dryly, ignoring the twinge of disloyalty that she felt. Remy LeBeau was the target now. Nothing more. _Damn him._

"What do you mean, Rogue?" Carol said.

_Oh, _this'll_ be fun. _"After finishing mah initial surveillance last night, Ah went ta a local club, The Devil's Dare. Ah met him there. He asked me ta dance." Rogue shrugged. "This mornin' when Ah went out runnin', he was at the park."

She raised her eyes to lock her gaze with Bishop. "He was the man on the motorcycle who met me there."

Bishop growled.

"How remarkable," Hank said. "Quite a coincidence."

"Yeah," Rogue said. _Fancy that. How odd. Quite strange. Ah could kill that no-good Cajun!_

"Did you learn anything of use from him?" Carol asked.

_Trust ya ta get straight ta the point, Carol. _"Well, for one thing, his eyes aren't brown. They're red on black."

Rogue waited for a moment for her words to sink in on the various members of the table. She forced down the surprisingly increasing feelings of guilt. She hadn't learned this information as a FORCE agent. For some reason, she felt reluctant to give it up. _No good dirty swamp rat._

"You mean to say that the cornea, sclera, and pupil are completely black and that his irises are red?" Hank said.

"If ya mean ta say that his eyes are black where they should be white and red where others' are blue, then yeah, Hank, that's what Ah'm sayin'. And they flicker--the red in his eyes. Ah think it has ta do with his mutation."

"Fascinating," Hank murmured.

"Which is?" Tessa asked.

"Making the latent energy of an object kinetic." Rogue noticed Emma's artificial blank look, and decided to play along. "He makes things go boom."

"I'll just bet he does," Emma's voice was thick and sultry.

Rogue felt her right hand curl into an involuntary fist.

"Anything else?" Carol said.

"He also knows that Ah'm a mutant. He knows what mah powers are."

"What?" Bishop said. "Why would you tell him that?"

"Well it's hardly like Ah was supposed ta know that he was the target, Bishop!"

"That doesn't excuse you spouting out information about your mutation!" he shot back. "What if we wanted to use your connection on the case?"

Rogue half-rose in her seat as she yelled, "For one thing, you're right, it's _mah_ mutation. Ah'll talk about it with anyone anytime Ah damn please! Secondly, maybe if ya had given meh all the information before calling meh in on this op, Ah would have been able to make a well-informed decision!"

"Rogue, Bishop, stop this now," Carol's emotionless voice cut like a laser through their argument. "True, it might have been beneficial if you had concealed your mutation, Rogue, but now there's nothing we can do about it. The information that you've retrieved regarding his mutation is far more valuable, regardless of you've obtained it."

_Ah'm not sure if that's a complement or not._ Rogue continued to glare across the table at Bishop.

"So how does this translate into you knowing how to contact him?" Tessa asked.

_Here it comes_. Rogue slumped back into her chair. "He asked me out on a date tonight. Ah didn't say Ah'd go," she spoke to ward off Carol's sisterly concern and Bishop's impending conniption, "but Ah know that he'll be there anyway. Ah'll just take Emma along with meh and fade into the background."

"Why don't you just tell me where it is? I'm sure I'll be able to find it."

Rogue smiled, swallowing back her urge to punch her teammate. _Teammate. Right._ "Believe me, Ah'd like nothing more than ta leave ya and the swamp rat ta your own devices. But look at his record--he's got a suspicious nature an' an ego the size of Everest. If ya just show up on your own, claimin' ta be my friend an' that Ah just didn't feel like meetin' him, what do ya think his response will be?"

Emma nodded, reluctantly.

"That sounds like the best plan," Carol said. "Emma, Bishop will brief you on what specifically to look for in his mind. Rogue, what time is your date?"

_Some date. _"7:30. But Ah want ta get there early."

Carol smiled approvingly, "Of course. Remember, get out of there as soon as you can. You don't want to be any sort of distraction."

_No, of_ course _not._ "Believe me, Carol, Ah'll be out of there as soon as Ah can."

"Very good then, we're just waiting on the results of your scan tonight, Emma. We'll meet again tomorrow morning at seven."

"What if the night's activities make it impossible for me to sneak away before seven?" Emma asked.

"Make it eight, then," Carol said. "You all have received your temporary assignments. See you in the morning."

Emma immediately went over to talk with Bishop, Tessa and Hank were talking quietly about the propability of Rogue meeting the target before-hand and discussing the ramifications of his mutation, and so Rogue shoved down her confused feelings and intercepted Carol as she was on her way out.

"What is it, Rogue?" Carol asked.

_What, no hello, how are you, it's good to see you? _"Ah was hopin' ta talk with you for a few minutes, Carol, if ya don't mind."

"Actually, I have a very important meeting to attend in Langley, and I need to leave now if I'm to make it on time. Perhaps some other time." Carol left without even confirming a time for them to meet.

Rogue blinked. _That's never happened before. Something doesn't feel right._

Rogue glanced over to Bishop and Emma, the two people that she trusted least on the team in close conference. _Something doesn't feel right at all._

_And now Ah'm off ta take Emma ta steal mah date, the target._

_Gawd, Kitty, Ah wish you were here right now._

XXXXXXXXXX

Remy left Starbucks mildly irritated with himself. He replaced the bolt on his bike, revved her up, and tore down the street. _I can't believe I let her leave wit'out even gettin' her number. I've never been so distracted by a _femme _before. Just watching her walk away…_merde.

He forced himself to concentrate on driving. It didn't work very well. _It's not dat I admire de _femme. No. Just because she had been cursed with one of the most painful mutations he had ever heard of and was still managing to live through it, that was certainly no cause for admiration.

'_M…intrigued by her. Yeah, dat's it. A nice little mystery t' crack._

And she had eyes like deep pools, teasing, tempting, pouty lips, the figure of a goddess, and skin so smooth that he knew he'd risk the pain of absorption to be able to touch it--even if it was only for a second.

_She's…challenging…dat's what it is. Keeps closing her eyes and looking away, doesn't want me to get close t' her. But it's not just me…she doesn't want anyone getting close. _He grinned. _It'll be all the more pleasure t' break t'rough t' her heart knowing dat I'm de first one dere. _

And the way she had reacted to his eyes…Remy couldn't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction, pleasure, and…relief. She saw part of what he hid away and accepted it, was even disappointed when he hid it again. _Dat's….somet'ing else. _

No, it certainly wasn't that he actually _liked_ her. He was just…appreciating the quality of his target. That was all.

_And dat is some high class piece of work, _he smirked, shut off his bike, and walked to his apartment.

He took a shower and let his mind trace over the curves and grooves of her form, the lovely contours of her face. _She t'inks she can't touch…she just hasn't been exposed t' de proper alternatives. _

_I wonder if she'll be dere tonight? _Remy didn't spend a lot of time wondering about it. Never once had he been stood up. He let himself remember what it felt like to be briefly pressed against her. _She's fast on de uptake, I'll give her dat_, remembering how she had bolted him off of her without so much as breaking a sweat.

_I t'ink gonna need my rest if 'm gonna be in top form tonight. An' for dis _femme_, not'ing but top form will do._

He shut off the shower, and toweled off. He grabbed a clean pair of boxers, and put them on. But before he went to bed, he went over to his computer and entered the new information that he had learned about Rogue to the worm that he had searching government computers. Maybe the fact that she was a mutant would help uncover the mystery of that black petal she gave him.

Remy fell asleep contemplating all the possible uses of sheer silk sheets.

XXXXXXXXX

After Emma and Bishop had finished their conference, Rogue found herself ambushed by the blonde, who demanded to know any detail Rogue could recall about Remy. For some reason, Rogue felt like her time with Remy was very precious, and she didn't need a second thought to hold back from this woman. But like it or not, Emma was her teammate, so she told her the basics of what she remembered and then managed to escape, telling her that she'd _better_ be ready to go at 6:45 because there was no way in hell that Rogue was walking into this place blind. She returned to her hotel room to attempt to sort out her emotions.

Rogue wasn't very good at sorting out her emotions, preferring to stuff them down and ignore them completely, just doing the job.

She had opted to take a long shower, letting the sensation of the water running down her skin smooth away the lingering disloyalty she felt like so many gentle caresses.

It made no sense to feel loyal to a man that she had hardly met.

But she did.

And that made her mad.

_The sooner Ah introduce him ta Emma and Ah get the hell out of there, the better off Ah'll be. _

She tried to smother thoughts of what he and Emma would undoubtedly be doing as Emma dipped into his brain for the information Bishop needed. She was disappointingly unsuccessful.

That made her even more mad.

_Why should Ah care what that slut does?_ She wasn't sure which slut she was referring to. But the thought of Emma with Remy irritated her beyond all that was reasonable.

She recognized that and it didn't improve her mood.

_Once he sees her, all touchable and willing, he'll forget all about me. _

She tried to ignore the fact that this caused her a sharp pain in her chest. It just hit too close to home. Once again, she was passed over. Because of her 'gift.' One more time, she had to swallow back what she wanted because of the 'greater good.' It was just another time where she was more of a weapon than a person.

_How _fortunate _that Ah ran into him at the club. Think of all the time we'll save. _

Rogue had had it with self pity. She hated Remy LeBeau for making her feel this way again.

_Just_ try _an' flirt with me again, LeBeau. Ah promise ya a not so sweet surprise._

Rogue glared down at the two outfits spread out on her bed. _But hopefully Ah'll still get ta spar with him and kick his butt back ta N'Awlins._

_Stop it, girl! What are ya thinkin'? The less contact with him, the better for ya and the better for the mission. After all, don't ya want him ta fall head-over-heals for Emma? Love blinds, after all. That'll make the op much easier. Remember Samson and Delilah? _

_Ah wonder if Emma will be able ta pass as an acceptable thief..._

She stared longingly at her loose workout pants and sweatshirt. They were comfortable, breathable cotton. But when she kicked and punched, they had a tendency to ride up on her body. If he _did_ still want to spar with her, she had to be prepared to fight responsibly. Just one touch of her skin would put him out for the count, and she wouldn't have any chance to control what she took from him.

So she sighed, _Ah just know he's gonna get the wrong idea about this_, and began to put on her mostly spandex sparring uniform.

Her cell phone rang. "Yeah?"

"I'm outside," Emma said.

"I'll be right down."

Rogue slid into the passenger seat of Emma's silver Jaguar convertible. _Ah hate Jaguars. All show, but they break down in months. Pretty on the outside, treacherous insides…_

She looked at Emma. As she had expected, the woman next to her was wearing as little clothes as possible. Rogue sighed, _She drives the perfect car for her._

"Where are we headed?"

"24th Glenn and Baker."

Emma slowly pulled away from the curb and began driving. After Emma cautiously parked her cark a few blocks away, she and Rogue walked up to the door that Remy had indicated.

"Are you sure this is a gym?" Emma said.

"One way ta find out," Rogue replied and knocked on the door of the house.

A large body-builder came to the door. "Yes?"

"Mr. LeBeau asked me ta meet him here at 7:30," Rogue said.

"You're early. And he didn't say anything about a guest," the man replied.

Rogue shrugged, "She came in out of town ta surprise me. Ah couldn't just leave her at home."

The man grunted, and opened the door to admit them. They past through a foyer decorated in Oriental style and then he opened one more door.

"It's yours for the night," he said. "Try not to break too much."

Rogue blinked at the sight before her. "Ya got it, sugah."

The man grunted again, and turned to leave.

The room that stretched out before them was comfortably decorated with wooden floors and high ceilings. It was huge. Over to the right stood a beautiful set of uneven bars, a trapeze, horse, and trampoline. There was a large section of specially padded and sprung floor for gymnastics. In the center of the room was a wide combat circle, set up in traditional Japanese style. In the left were various free weights and other pieces of exercise equipment, including hanging punching bags.

"Not bad," Emma said. "It reminds me of my private gym at home."

Rogue didn't see any need to respond, and she walked over to the padded floor. _It's been ages since Ah've had a chance ta work on one of these traditional mats. Remy was right, this is a great place._

"Why did you insist on bringing us here so early?" Emma said. "It only makes you look desperate and gives me the chance to be bored."

"Ah couldn't care less about your boredom, Emma," Rogue said. "Why don't ya attempt ta make yaself useful and look around the place, see if ya can pick anything up."

Emma rolled her eyes, put her hands to her forehead and began an elaborate mental scan.

"Not like that," Rogue hissed, knocking Emma's hands down. "Ah swear, if Ah didn't know how calculating ya actually are, Ah'd think ya were the biggest bimbo in creation! Do ya _want _LeBeau ta know what ya're up ta?"

Emma smiled at Rogue and licked her lips, "Tell me, Rogue, does he live up to his name? Those pictures hardly showed his face at all. Although they did demonstrate his confidence in some of his…skills."

Rogue rolled her eyes, ignoring Emma's attempt to bait her. "Ya can see for yaself in a few minutes."

"_Chere_! You're early!" Remy's voice called into the room before he actually made his entrance. "Don' tell Remy ya were missin' him dat much. Y' coulda just called."

"Don't flatter yourself, Swamp Rat," Rogue called back. "Besides, ya never gave me ya number."

"Remy will have t' remedy dat," he trailed off as he entered the room. His eyes quickly raked up her body. Rogue was glad that she still had her sweatshirt on. They lingered on her face and he smirked when he gazed at her lips. Then he turned to Emma, and his expression changed slightly.

Rogue turned as well. Emma had removed her coat. She was wearing only a sports bra that teetered on the edge of decency, and short, tight, low, shorts that somehow clung to her butt and flared out at the same time. In other words, she was exposing miles of _very_ touchable skin.

"An' who's dis?" Remy said.

"Remy LeBeau, Emma Frost," Rogue said. "Emma dropped in on me unexpectedly, so Ah invited her along."

Remy waggled an eyebrow at her, "Didn't take ya for dat type, Chere."

Before Rogue could retort, he had turned to Emma, taking her extended hand and raising it to his lips, "_Enchanté, Mam'zelle_ Frost."

Emma giggled as he kissed her hand.

Rogue felt her stomach heave.

She forced a smile and was about to speak when Remy released Emma's hand and turned to her again. _That's surprising. _

"So what do ya t'ink of de place, _cherie_?"

"Ah admit it, Swamp Rat. It's a nice place ya got here."

"_Merci_."

"How'd ya manage ta get in?"

"Let's just say Remy knows de owner. Shall we? I hope your friend doesn't mind watching."

He hadn't dropped her for Emma. He was smirking at her. Rogue wanted to rip that smirk off and stuff it in his ear. She wanted to tear off his lips and use them a gag to shut his mouth. She wanted to press her mouth against his so hard that he wouldn't be able to make a sound.

_What the hell? Where did _that _come from?_

Emma's head shot around towards her at the thought.

Rogue cursed, long and loud inside her mind. _What is he doing ta me? Ah know better than ta let mah guard down. Especially in front of _her. She quickly reinforced her shields.

"Actually, Ah thought Ah'd have a brief go at the gymnastics floor first. It's been ages since Ah've gotten ta use proper matting. Ya can look afta' Emma for me, can't ya, Remy?"

Remy stepped closer to Rogue, "I can wait for a little while, _chere_. But don' keep me waitin' long."

"Now why would Ah do that?" Rogue breathed.

"Remy? Could you help me with these weights?" Emma asked. She had adjusted the zipper on her sports bra while Remy and Rogue were talking. She was barely held together.

Rogue bit back a sarcastic comment, and deciding that she didn't want to risk taking any attention away from Emma, waited until she had walked away before taking her off her sweatshirt.

Remy looked over at her, his ever present smirk taking on a slightly different shade. "Of course, _petite_. Remy will be right with ya."

He turned back to Rogue for a moment, but she was already stretching out in the far corner.

XXXXXXXXX

Rogue had removed her sweatshirt, exposing her black spandex training suit. It had bright emerald green stripes along the sides that artistically twirled across her rib cage and across her right leg. Remy slid his gaze over Rogue's body. His initial assessment at the club had been off. She didn't just have all the right curves in all the right places. He couldn't imagine a more perfect body. And that said quite a lot, because Remy LeBeau had a vivid imagination. Still, with that spandex, he didn't really _need_ his imagination...

He realized that he was ignoring her friend while staring at Rogue. Then he realized that he didn't care. Emma Frost was beautiful, her blonde hair flowing just so, make-up impeccably in place, small, high caliber diamonds glistening in her ears. Oh she was beautiful, undoubtedly, but she was all too regular. He'd had one that looked just like her last week. Emma was blonde, touchable, willing, and _boring_. This girl…this rogue who was amazing him with her flexibility while ignoring him completely…this girl had captured his attention completely. He _had_ to have her.

While staring at Rogue, he felt a sudden _push_ against his mental shields. He looked around, but couldn't locate the source. Rogue was completely ignoring him, his empathy told him that wasn't pretended. But Emma, standing next to him, felt frustrated. _It might just be 'cause I'm ignoring her…but why take chances? _

Remy turned to her with a slightly feral grin, "So what brings y' t' town, petite?"

He handed her a weight and projected at her _:You're not wanted here.:_

Emma flinched. "Oh, ah, business. And Rogue, I suppose. She's been through a rough couple months."

"Yeah?" :_I don't need you tellin' me about de _belle femme_. I can get it from her myself.:_

Emma's brow furrowed, and he felt the push against his shields increase. "Yeah. Where did you meet her?"

"Remy met de _belle_ at a local club." _:Didn't she tell y' dis? Remy t'ought y' were 'friends.':_

Emma smiled, "It's good to hear that Rogue's back in clubs again. She loves dancing, but she hasn't gone for months."

That sounded genuine to Remy, and the pushes against his mental shield stopped. He quirked an eyebrow. "Why's dat?"

The strongest push against his shields yet. Emma's face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. But that might have just been because of the heavy weights she was lifting. She didn't look like she was accustomed to this kind of workout. But Remy's mental shields had kept out the strongest telepaths in the world. And whoever was trying to get in was unsuccessful.

Emma let out of a breath and lowered the weights. "I'll have to let her tell you that. She doesn't like it when people talk about her behind her back, you know."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, _:Den why'd y' start it:_ Once again, Emma showed no outward response to his projection. "Remy can understand dat."

Emma smiled at him, "I'm sure you can. Look at her. She's so good at this stuff."

Remy followed Emma's gaze. Rogue was, indeed, "good at this stuff." In fact, every twist, flip, and turn was done with the precision of a professional. Yet it was obvious that the routine was spontaneous. She jumped, flipped, went into a side-split, and somersaulted all in one fluid movement, making it seem effortless.

Remy's mouth went dry, staring at her, and he found that other parts of him were standing at attention.

"You like her, don't you," Emma said.

"Remy would t'ink dat was obvious," he said dryly.

"Just as obvious as why she asked me to come with her," Emma said. "She told you about her mutation, right?"

"_Oui_," Remy said, turning to face Emma completely for the first time that night.

"She hates it," Emma said.

"Remy can see why," he said.

"No, I don't think you do, yet," Emma said. "But if you're lucky, you might. Be careful, Remy."

He smirked at her, "Remy's always careful."

"Don't hurt her."

"Not plannin' on it."

"Good. Then I'll leave. Tell Rogue I had a phone call and that I'll call her later tonight."

Remy gave Emma a real smile, "_Merci, belle_."

"_De rein_," she responded.

Emma put on her coat and walked out of the gym.

_Dat was strange. _Remy thought. _Oh well, I'll t'ink about it later. Got more important tings t' do..._

He walked over to Rogue. She was absorbed in what she was doing, once again ignoring the world in sheer pleasure of movement.

She did a set of handsprings, culminating in a head-first flip which she landed in a perfect split.

_Merde. _Remy began to clap, slowly. If he didn't so something soon, he wasn't going to be able to hold back the urge to find out if she was that passionate and free in everything she did. _Not t' mention flexible._

Rogue's head shot up, and her eyes widened, then narrowed. She hadn't been aware of him watching her. She quickly stood up.

"Where's Emma?"

Remy trailed his gaze along her body again, taking his sweet time before answering her question. "She left. She said she had a phone call. She'll call you later."

Rogue walked to him, frowning, "Ya weren't rude ta her, were you?"

He grinned at her, "Mebbe a little."

Rogue snorted, trying to hide how amused she was. "Why'd ya get her ta leave?"

Remy stepped close to her. "Would t'ink dat would be obvious, _chere_. I came t' meet y', not her."

A confused look came over Rogue's face.

Remy took advantage of it, stepping even closer, "I wanted t' be wit' ya, not her."

Rogue's face immediately closed down, all emotion disappearing. "Forget mah mutation already, Swamp Rat? No one can be with me. Even if Ah decided t' let ya."

He smirked, "Ya here, ain't ya?"

"Only 'cause ya promised an opportunity ta kick ya sorry butt."

Remy grinned, "Y' welcome t' try, _cherie_."

Rogue closed the space between them, lifting her face to his defiantly, "Ah'll do more then that."

"Oh, I hope so," Remy breathed.

Rogue raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, "Let's go then," and she neatly stepped around him, stooping down to pick up her gloves that she had left on the edge of the mat, and walking over to the combat circle.

Remy turned to follow her, his body on automatic pilot. His jaw twitched. _Why dat little…river rat! I can't believe she just did dat!_ He smirked, _No wonder I like dis _fille.

He joined her in the ring, smirking as he looked her over one more time. _Remy's gonna enjoy dis._

Rogue finished tugging on her gloves, and they began to circle each other, measuring their opponent.

"Take it off, Swamp Rat."

"_Chere_, Remy's shocked! An' here he t'ought ya were just here t' fight."

"Shut-up. Ya know what Ah mean."

"Well, it sounds t' me like--"

"Your image inducer, Gumbo. If Ah'm gonna fight ya, Ah wanna fight _ya._"

"Fine," he complied, unable to stop the secret thrill her words gave him. "But Remy should warn ya, Mud pie, his eyes give him an unfair advantage in a fight. Dey start t' glow, an' can become hypnotic."

Rogue snorted, "So is saying 'Loook into mah eyes' your best shot, Cajun?"

"What's de matter, _ma cherie_? Ya can't call Remy the same t'ing twice? If ya must call him anyt'ing, he suggests his name."

Rogue's teeth clenched together, "Ah ain't yours, _Remy_."

And with that, she attacked him.

He dodged her roundhouse kick and counter-attacked with an attempt to kick her feet out from under her. Rogue easily flipped over his leg and threw a punch at his exposed side, which he turned just in time to catch. He yanked her towards him and she went with it, raising her knee to gut him. He blocked it with his own leg and used his other hand to slide down her back onto her butt.

Rogue's eyes widened, and she spun around, jabbing him in the gut with her elbow.

Remy grunted and released her.

"That all ya got, Swamp rat?"

"Remy's yet t' show ya what he's got, _cherie_."

Rogue's eyes narrowed. "Ya're all talk. Ah've yet ta be impressed."

He gave her an easy grin, "De night's still young, _chere_."

They began to fight again, still somewhat tentatively, each testing the other out. Their speed began to increase, along with the force of their blows. Remy was slightly more agile than Rogue, but she was faster.

Rogue grinned, and began a flurry of punches and kicks that Remy was hard pressed to stop. He resorted to grabbing her arm and throwing her backwards.

Rogue recovered quickly, "Ya ain't half bad, Swamp Rat."

"I could say de same t'ing about ya, River Rat. In fact, ya're better den I t'ought."

Rogue grinned at him, "Then why are ya smiling?"

He grinned back at her, "Because I know something ya don' know."

"An' what is that?" she was having a hard time keeping back her laughter.

"I am not left-handed," (1) Remy said with a bow that he immediately turned into a forward flip, ending with his fist where Rogue's face was only moment's before.

Rogue attempted to kick his legs out from under him, but he dodged the blow. They continued the fight.

Soon, they fell into a natural pattern. It was like dancing. Every punch was blocked. Every kick was dodged. Every attempt to trip the other over was evaded. They were--to put it quite simply--matched.

XXXX

Rogue spun away from his blow, whirling to block his quick punch. She followed through with a quick jab to his solar plexus. He caught her hand and tugged her forward. She used the momentum to flip over and away from him, pulling out of his grasp.

He turned to face her and their eyes locked.

_His eyes, his eyes_. They weren't flickering anymore. They were glowing a steady, entrancing red.

_His eyes, his eyes._ And she wasn't fighting anymore. They were just…standing there…breath heaving in and out of them.

_His eyes, his eyes._ Rogue found herself taking a small step closer to his warm body. He noticed this and quickly closed the distance between them, standing only a breath away he waited for her to eliminate the distance and reach for him.

She couldn't break her gaze…his eyes, they were enrapturing, hypnotic…_hypnotic_. Rogue remembered Remy's warning with a gasp, and stumbled away from him. In her haste to escape his gaze, she misjudged her distance from the edge of the platform and tumbled off, striking her head hard against the wooden floor.

Rogue briefly lost consciousness.

"_Chere_!" Remy said and was at her side in an instant. He knelt beside her to assess her condition, his hands automatically brushing aside the strands of hair that had fallen across her face. Three of his bare fingers brushed against her forehead, and he was so concerned for her that he scarcely noticed that nothing happened.

Merde_, Remy! What are y' sup'osed t' do for someone who's unconscious? Ya ought t' know dis! _But he didn't, he couldn't think of a single thing to do, only remembering enough to know that he shouldn't move her in case her neck was broken. "Rogue, ya gotta wake up!" _Some date dis is. Didn't want to sweep her off her feet like dis, neh?_

"Rogue," he repeated, urgently.

She moaned softly, and her eyelids fluttered open. "Get offa me, Swamp Rat."

Remy let out a sigh of relief and eased away from her. "Ya had me worried dere fo' a minute, River Rat."

Rogue groaned again and attempted to sit up. "Don't worry. Ah've got a hard head. Takes more then a lil' fall to knock me out for the count." Sitting up, the room started spinning and she sighed, lying back down. "It's just been a long day. Ah guess mah body wanted ta take a little nap."

Remy smirked at her and lay down beside her, propping his head up on an elbow so that he could maintain the best possible view. "If ya need help gettin' up, ya just have t' ask, _chere_."

"Ah don't need any help, least of all yours."

"Den get up."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Ah wouldn't think ya'd be so eager ta talk me out of lyin' next ta ya."

"_Mais_, when ya put it like _dat,"_ and he edged forward and traced a gloved finger across her collar bone.

This brought Rogue bolting upright. "D'ya wanna go again, Cajun?"

"Love it when ya talk dirty, _cherie_," he said, lazily standing to join her.

Rogue punched him in the jaw.

He moved with the blow, easily absorbing most of the force. "Remy guesses he deserved dat, fo' lettin' ya get hurt." He stepped close to her his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "But don't do dat again, not unless ya want t' try and finish it."

"Don't think Ah can't, Cajun."

"Remy don't doubt ya. _Mais_, mebbe ya shouldn't t'ink it would be dat easy, neh?"

Rogue gave him a nasty smile, "Why not? It seems ya're easy with everything else."

Remy narrowed his eyes, "Jealous, _chere_?"

"Ya wish."

"_Non_, not really," he smiled at her. "Remy likes ya just de way dat ya are."

Rogue's eyes widened, and she swallowed. She took a step back and averted her gaze. _What does he mean by that?_

There was silence between them for a moment.

"Ah should get goin'. It's been a long day, an' Ah have an early meetin' tomorrow."

Remy knew better than to press her to stay. "Den let Remy see y' safely hope, _chere_."

"Ah can take care of mahself, Swamp Rat. Ah would think that would be obvious."

"_Mais_, it not be for ya. It be for Remy's own peace of mind."

"Ah'm sure ya want ta follow me home for your 'peace of mind.' It has nothin' ta do with finding out where Ah'm staying."

Remy shrugged. "_Un homme_ can have more den one goal."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Remy, if ya were a girl alone in a city, would ya want some stranger knowing where ya lived?"

"_Mais oui_, if Remy was _une fille_ wit' _un homme_ like Remy after her, den he would be very _open_ wit' de _homme_."

"That only proves that ya'd be an even dumber girl than ya are _un homme_," she said, mauling the French furiously.

Remy raised an eyebrow, "Y' speakin' French?"

"What's it sound like ta ya?"

He winced, "Mebbe y' don' wan' Remy t' answer dat, _hein_?"

Rogue gave a low throaty laugh. She began to respond only to be cut off by her cell phone.

"Yeah? … No. … OK."

Remy stared at her curiously.

Rogue turned away from him and picked up her sweatshirt, shrugging it on.

Remy watched the movements of her body with regret. He had never thought of spandex so fondly before in his life.

"That offer of a ride home still valid, Cajun?"

"As y' wish, _ma belle_." (2)

Rogue sighed. "Ah ain't yours, Remy. Don't make me beat ya again ta prove it."

Remy grabbed her gloved hand and brought it up to his lips, and kissed the back of her hand, staring into her eyes the whole time. Then maintaining his grip on her hand, he led her out to his motorcycle.

* * *

AN: Wow, I know it's been a long time. But hey, long absence, long update. That makes up for it, right? Truthfully, I could have just updated the bit about FORCE, but for some reason I always saw her finding out about Remy and getting to fight him in the same chapter. So yeah, the wait, the length, it was worth it, right? Right? 

Hope you guys enjoyed that bit of denial the two of them going on before things got more complicated. And yes, I had to complicate them. I mean, it wasn't as if they already had enough relationship issues, right?

What happened to Kitty? Why did Bobby leave Force? What happened that made Rogue so despise Emma? And _what_ was up with Emma at the end? Why was she suddenly so nice? Don't worry, all will be revealed. Let me know what you think of Rogue's team. I agonized over who to put on it, although some people were obvious to the plot--also, the pesky plot wouldn't let me put on some people that I really wanted. Oh well, they're still fun, right?

And my favorite line in this chapter? "So is saying 'Loook into mah eyes' your best shot, Cajun?"

Oh, and about their fighting. I would have loved to give you a detailed fight scene. But my fingers were killing me, and I don't think I could have gone on for as long as they were fighting. So I short-cutted. About them being 'matched.' I figure, Rogue was trained as an assassin and soldier. Every time that she's fighting someone and trying not to kill them, she's at a disadvantage. She's very, very good at what she does. But she tries not to do that stuff anymore. And Gambit was trained to fight, not to kill, but to incapacitate those trying to kill him (After all, he was trained to fight against the Assassins, right?) That's why he's so "grabby" when he fights...well, that's one of the reasons, anyway. So I figure, whenever they fight (at least in this fic), Gambit is gonna have the upper hand unless Rogue is really trying to kill him, in which case I'm not sure who would win. But I don't want Rogue to kill Remy, because then I would run out of story. So I guess we'll just never find out which one of them would really win.

This is the part of the author's note where I shamelessly beg for reviews. Y'know I never realized how motivating they were. The sooner we get through this plot stuff, the sooner I can incorporate Romy-fluff… :0)

Seriously, if you read it let me know what you think, all right?

**Quote**: 1 That exchange from "Then why are you smiling" to the "1" is taken directly from The Princess Bride. If you haven't seen that movie, then stop what you're doing and (right after you review) go out and find it! It is one of the best movies in the entire world. Actually, if you haven't seen it, don't review--go, get the movie, watch it, and come back and review and let me know what you thought (of both my story and the movie. Gee, I'm not at all demanding, huh? ;0)).

2 "As you wish" is also a line from The Princess Bride.

Review Responses:

Enchanted light: You loved it? Yay! That makes me feel good. Hope you enjoyed this one too.

Lyrit Liltrick: Don't really remember why my prof said that a toothache symbolized sexual frustration. Probably something like 'an itch ya can't scratch,' or some such thing. Hey, people find all sorts of symbolism in Shakespeare. And he hinted at an awful lot of stuff. For example, the word "die" in this quote "I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes; and moreover I will go with thee to thy uncle's." Benedict is making reference to a certain sexual act. Oh the joy and innocence of the Renaissance, or something like that. (Still think that line's hilarious, though.)

Ishandahalf: Yah, Rogue was willing to put up with a lot more when he was just some random stranger…now, it's on. She's royally ticked off at him for making her feel and interfering with her job. Poor Rogue. It's only gonna get worse for her. Personally, I can't stand coffee. Love chocolate, hate coffee. A friend of mine took me out to Starbucks once in an attempt to convert me and bought me a mocciatto with an actual brownie in it, and it still didn't work. I like tea though. Nothing's that special about their date, except that it's a very nice private gym. Sorry if I didn't make my intentions for them clear. I'm so glad you liked the toothache thing! Totally spur of the moment. It amused me greatly. And yes, Remy's in for it, big time. But he asks for it, ya know? Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Cat: Yes they're going to be falling deeper and deeper and the situation is just going to get worse and worse. I know, I'm cruel. But hey, that's drama for ya, right? And fortunately, the characters can't come out of my screen and beat me up for tormenting them. :whew: Hope you enjoyed this bit. And--hey--denial's fun. Just look at those two.

Bored247: Wow, that's a lot of chocolate! I think I'm getting hyper just reading it. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. Makes me grin. Hope you liked this bit too!

Wrapped in Banana Foil: No, they definitely won't be getting together right away. But it'll be worth it all in the end, if I can help it. Hope you enjoyed this bit.

coldqueen: Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

Kit: Oh good, you liked the slap! I was so tempted to have her kiss him…but then I realized that she just wouldn't. And yeah, Bishop's contact information was stupid--but they both knew that. He was just trying to get her in trouble. Boo and hiss. Not really much flirtyness in this chap, but I kinda like the denial and the ending bit.

Chica de los ojas café: Glad you liked it. I know this isn't soon, but I tried. Hope you enjoyed this as well.


	5. Complicating the Steps

Disclaimer: All I'm doing is taking them down and playing with them. Really! I'll put them back on Marvel's shelf when I'm done, I swear! Besides, Rogue would kill me if I tried to keep Remy…

Oh and if my French makes you wince, blame Babelfish and let me know what's wrong and I'll fix it if I can. (Accent marks come and go on my computer.)

* * *

Chapter Five: Complicating the Steps 

Remy woke up early with a grin on his face. Though the night hadn't gone the way of his usual dates, his dream had been a worthy substitute. And she had let him see her home. Yes, he was definitely making progress.

_Even t'ough she didn't exactly let me see her t' de door… _No, she had stopped him quite firmly at the hotel entrance. And, like a good boy, he had let her stop him…for exactly as long it took for her to disappear into her room. Then he scoped out the hotel. He was impressed, not by the quality, but by the sheer mediocrity of the place. It was the perfect place to stay if you didn't want to be noticed--not too flashy, not uncomfortable, not rundown. In fact, the hotel seemed to be an exercise in negatives: not clean, not dirty; not welcoming, not hostile; not exactly the kind of place he where had expected Rogue to stay. It was the perfect place to stay if you wanted to remain unnoticed. Not many would have picked up on that fact, but not many people had had as many reasons to remain unseen as Remy LeBeau.

Remy had cautiously entered her hotel room when he heard her shower turn on. Everything had been neatly put away, and there was nothing personal lying around to give him any more of a clue about her. He did learn that she washed her hair with peach scented shampoo. He had been about to open her suitcase and do some…investigating of a more personal nature when he heard Rogue turn off her shower.

Although he was tempted to stay and see the show, he was out of the room before he had thought it. It wouldn't do for Rogue to catch him there.

He stretched in bed only to wince as he experienced a muscle spasm. Sparring with Rogue last night had been a thorough workout. _An' thoroughly enjoyable too, neh? _He grimaced and began to massage out the cramp in his leg. Remy thought back to last night. He had turned down what would have been an undoubtedly passion-filled evening with a beautiful girl to spend the night locked in restrained passion with another beautiful girl. Was something wrong with him that he wasn't regretting his choice?

Remy ran his hand over his jaw in thought and realized that his stubble was starting to get a little longer than he liked. Time for a shave. He got up and walked over to his bathroom.

As Remy lathered up in front of the mirror, his mind drifted back to the previous night again. He thought about what Emma had been wearing…or not wearing. He contrasted it to Rogue's full covering curve hugging spandex. It was evident which one he had preferred, but he had to wonder…

_De _femme _claims t' be Rogue's friend. Why was she flaunting so much of what Rogue can never have, can never do?_

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He thought over all the times he has seen Rogue; she was always fully covered, always with gloves on. It didn't matter if it was uncomfortable for her, she was always taking precautions to make sure that those around her weren't hurt.

_Does nobody ever t'ink t' cover up for _her?

Remy glared into the mirror, and his attention shifted to the thing that automatically separated him from everyone else…his "demon" eyes.

He had been so relieved when Jean Luc had found a way to hide his eyes from the world. Jean Luc had said that it wasn't out of shame, rather anonymity was a thief's best friend. And his eyes got in the way of that. Though they were incredibly useful for intimidation on the job. Not to mention the fact that with them he was able to see in the dark as good or better than any night vision goggles, even able to easily detect "invisible" security lasers.

It was facts like this that made him think that Jean Luc had been right--he was born to be a thief. Remy learned to think of his eyes as just another tool, despite the cries that echoed in his head from his childhood. _It's de devil! It's _Le Diable blanc_! Diable blanc!_

Still, he always felt mildly defensive about having to hide them. He didn't want to. They were just eyes, for crying out loud! There was no real reason that they should make any difference in how anyone viewed him. But he knew that that wasn't the way the world worked. Still, he was glad when he was with his family, with those he trusted. It had taken them time, especially in the mystical culture of New Orleans, but now when they saw him, they just saw him. That had given him such hope…

_/They were alone in the hotel room he had rented for the occasion. Tonight was the night._

"_I've got something I want to tell ya, _ma belle _Bella."_

_She turned to him, smiling. "What's dat, _cher_?"_

_He smiled at her, all his hope evident in his expression, "Don' be scared, Bella."_

"_Please, Remy LeBeau. Ya know ya can't scare dis Assassin."_

_He grinned down at her and released the loose hold he had around her waist and switched off his image inducer, raising his head to meet her for the first time, eye to eye. _

_Bella Donna's eyes widened and her face paled. She stumbled back, away from him._

_Remy saw the fear and loathing on her face and felt them as an arrow piercing his heart. He turned away from her, head lowered._

_She called out to him, "Remy! Remy, wait. Look, ya can't blame me for being surprised at dat! It was just a shock. You're still ma same Remy, ain't ya?"_

_He turned around and grinned at her, "Always, Bella."_

_She smirked, crooking her finger at him, "Den c'mere."_

_They kissed, long and sweet._

_Her hands started to fumble at his shirt buttons._

"_Remy," she gasped in his ear._

"Oui, ma Belle_?"_

"_Would ya turn it back on…just give me some more time to get used t' 'em, neh?"_

_Remy felt a part of his heart harden, then shatter. "Anyt'ing for ya, Bella."_

"Merci_," she said, nuzzling his neck. She didn't once look up to see the pain in his eyes. Her hands caressed his body, but he felt cold._

_Still, he made love to her, offering her everything he was. But somehow, it made him feel incredibly dirty._

_Remy never offered to show her his eyes again._

_Bella never once asked./_

Remy splashed water on his face to shake himself from his memory. He glared at his reflection, his demon eyes blazing back at him as water dropped off his face.

Bella had never been able to see past his eyes.

But Rogue…Rogue had demanded that he take off his mask. Even to fight him, she wasn't willing to go up against the part he showed the rest of the world. She wanted to go against all of him. At least, all of him that he had shown her.

_She accepted m' eyes so easily. _Non_, more den dat. She practically sought dem out, even t'ough she didn't really know what she was gettin' into. What else would she accept if I told her?_

He shook himself from his thoughts and dried his face. No, that was not the way to think. He wasn't looking for a relationship--he just wanted to taste the forbidden fruit that was Rogue.

Remy wasn't about to gamble with his heart again.

His computer made a dinging noise. Remy walked over to it and pushed a few keys. Ah. At last the worm had come up with something. He called it up onto the screen and then stared at it in dismay.

It was the most heavily encrypted document that he had ever seen.

Remy sank down into the chair, his eyes locked on the screen. It was obvious that this file was important. Why else would just looking at the encryption on it give him a headache? He would never be able to decipher this. But if it was about Rogue, he _had_ to know what it said. And why would she have a heavily encrypted file deep in the CIA's database, anyway?

But it might not have anything to do with her…

Oh well, there was nothing for it. He flipped open his cell phone and pushed number four on his speed dial.

"_Bonjour_," a cheerful voice greeted him.

"'ello, Lapin."

"Remy? Is dat y', _vous clochard paresseux_? How are ya, _mon ami_?"

"Is dat my lazy brother?" Remy heard Henri say in the background.

"_Oui_, de one an' only," Lapin responded.

"Aw, _mes amis_, no need t' be jealous. Just because Remy is too good t' be hangin' around de house unemployed, dat don't mean ya need t' get all excited 'bout it."

"Psh. How ya been, Remy?" Lapin asked.

Remy felt himself relax. This was his family. His crazy, insane, brilliant, crazy, loyal family. He didn't need to worry around them.

"I want t' talk t' him!" Henri said, closer to the phone now.

"_Non_! I'm talkin' wit' him!" Lapin yelled.

Remy winced, "Emm, Emil, could ya maybe not yell in de phone, _s'il vous plait_?"

"Oh, _desole_, Remy. What were ya sayin'?"

Remy rolled his eyes, "Just t'ankin' ya for remindin' me why I don' miss home."

"Oh, I see how it is," Emil said. "What did y' call here for, den?"

"Got a present for ya, _mon ami_," Remy said expansively.

"Oooh, what is it?"

"Jus' a little somet'ing I found while doin' research for a project. Y' by your computer? I'll send it t' ya now."

"'course I'm by my baby, what kind of question is dat?" Emil grumbled. "Dere, 'm in."

Emil had signed into the Guild's high security online exchange network.

"Here ya go," Remy sent the encrypted file to him.

"_Merde_." Lapin whistled and spoke softly, "Where'd y' get dis?"

"Came out of dat government worm ya helped me wit'. Searched 'black rose petal,' 'Rogue,' and 'mutant.'"

"It's beautiful," Lapin sounded as if he was going to cry.

"D'ya t'ink y' can crack it?"

"I've never seen work dis flawless before. De style--it's art. De encryption is--"

"Emil! D'ya t'ink y' can crack it?" Remy interrupted. Emil was the only man he knew who could go on talking about lines of code as if it was a beautiful woman.

"It'll take time," he heard Emil shake reluctantly out of his trance.

"Time? Dis from de _homme_ who claimed dere wasn't a code he couldn't crack in under five minutes?"

"_Merde_, weren't ya listenin' t' me, Remy? I told ya dis work is _belle!_ Dis ain't no hack government job. Someone made dis _art_. I'll crack it, but it'll take time."

"Y' startin' t' work on it already, ain't ya?" Remy smirked.

"Talk t' Henri," he growled.

Remy grinned. He knew that was a thank you. Emil craved challenge, just like the rest of the Guild. And just like the rest of his family, he was so good at what he did he rarely found it. Remy had no doubt that Lapin could crack the code. And he was as glad that he would have the information as he happy that he had made his cousin's day.

"So, who's de _fille_?" Henri said.

"What makes y' t'ink dis is about _une_ _fille_?" Remy responded cautiously.

"'m talkin' to ya, ain't I? What else would make y' do research on your vacation. I know you're not plannin' a heist. Dere's not'ing in dat town but hearts t' steal."

Remy sighed. His brother knew him so well. "Her name's Rogue."

"An' what's got y' doin' research on her?"

"She's…intriguing."

"What's so intriguing 'bout her?"

_Let's see…do I tell _mon frere_ dat it's because she felt me pickin' her pocket, or dat she seems completely resistant to m' charms, or dat she nearly kicked m' ass last night, or dat she's got untouchable skin? Choices, choices._

"Y're nosy, y' know dat?"

"An' y're pathetic, ya know dat? C'mon, _petite frere_, don't try an' hide. Y' never pay dis much attention to just _une fille_. What makes her so special?"

Remy grinned into the phone, an appropriate response finally coming to him. "_Mon frere_, she's de challenge an' de prize all in one."

"Is dat all?" Henri asked.

"_Oui_." _Dat'd better be all._

A moment's silence on the line. "Don' suppose I need t' ask if she's _belle_."

Remy laughed, "Henri, married or not, your jaw'd drop."

"An' den Mercy would take it out of m' ass," he said, cheerfully. Henri hesitated a moment and then said, "It's good t' have someone t' come home to, Remy."

"'m glad for ya, Henri." _Don't go dere, _frere_. Please, don' go dere._

"Maybe ya shouldn't give up on dat."

_He went dere. _"Henri, I--"

"Lapin's drooling on his keyboard," Henri interrupted, not wanting to continue the conversation. "I'd better go before he electrocutes himself. Take care, _mon frere_, got it?"

"_Oui_, Henri. Y' too."

Henri hung up.

Remy ran a hand through his hair and took a shuddering breath. First a vivid memory about Bella Donna, now this. He exhaled loudly. _But at least Lapin's working on de code. Now what t' do while I'm waitin' for him…_

He stood up and wandered around his room for a little while. Catching sight of himself in the mirror, he noticed that his eyes were glowing. They did that when he was excited, when his adrenaline was going. He wondered if they had been glowing last night. Probably.

But Rogue hadn't been afraid. She acted as if they were just…eyes.

A smile tweaked up around the corners of his lips. He decided to go see her.

XXXXXXXX

_Blood. Blood on the walls, on her hands, splattered across their faces. She inhaled as they screamed, the hot scent inflaming her nostrils. She felt the _push _inside her head again and drew back to strike a killing blow, when she suddenly whirled around to face another attacker. Fools. They couldn't stand before her. She was invincible. She was the ultimate weapon. The tangy metallic taste of blood was heavy in her mouth as she left the pawns helpless, but alive, and ran towards her primary target. _Push. _She had a queen to kill--_

Rogue jolted upright in a cold sweat, her sheets tangled around her body. Her breathing was deep and fast, panicked as she glanced around the room. _Ah'm not there. That's over. _She forced herself to take a deep breath, attempting to relax the constriction around her lungs. _That wasn't me. And even then, Ah didn't murder anyone._

She stared at the wall across from her bed.

_The blood, flying up, following the arch of her katana and splattering in a half moon on the wall. It dripped down thick and dark--_

_No!_ Rogue closed her eyes hard and then opened them up again to stare at the wall. It was the same muted beige as before, a color deliberately chosen so that guests would never know if the wall was clean or dirty. The room smelt faintly of must, and her jasmine, vanilla, and cinnamon perfume. The only blood around was threatening to come from her lip, she had clamped her teeth down on it so hard she was about to puncture it. Rogue forced herself to relax and began methodically disentangling herself. She wasn't trapped. Look at how easily the sheets came away. See, there she was rising out of her bed.

Rogue turned around and stared at the bed. Treacherous thing. Promising rest only to remind her of _that_ day again.

_No. Let it go, Rogue. Just let it go. Ya can't change the past, ya did the best ya could with it. Now let it go._

She took another deep breath, and felt the hand clutching her lungs release. Rogue glanced at the clock; it was 5:15 in the morning. Way too early to get up, but there was no way she would be able to sleep. That's OK, though. She liked being early. Time to start her routine.

Rogue clung to her routine. Little actions that she had found to give her the semblance of normalcy, of sensation. She loved to run, to feel her muscles screaming and sweat trickling down her back. She loved to shower, to swim, to feel water on her bare skin. She didn't pretend it was someone's hands anymore--now she just enjoyed the sensation, she focused on what she had. Rogue loved to fight, to touch and be touched in combat was a thrill unlike any other; an adrenaline rush combined with _contact_. But most of all she loved to dance, to _move_ herself to the music, to let the music move her, to lose herself in the heady sensation of pleasure that came with it. When she was dancing, she could lose control and be wild and unafraid--she loved that. Rogue clung to these things. They helped keep her sane, just as her morning routine of stretching and organizing her head helped give her some control of her life. Because it was her life. And she was going to live it, damnit.

Kitty had helped show her that.

/"_Like, come on, Rogue. Take off your gloves."_

_Rogue glared at the younger girl, "An' why would Ah do that?"_

_Kitty rolled her eyes. "Because we're, like, having a sleepover. And what is a sleepover if we don't paint each other's nails?"_

_Rogue gave an exasperated huff. "And why would Ah paint mah nails? It's not like anyone ever sees 'em."_

"_But you do, Rogue," Kitty said quietly, staring at her seriously. "Just because no one else sees them doesn't mean you can't have some fun. For you." _

_Rogue swallowed, "Kitty, Ah…"_

_Kitty didn't look away. She reached out a hand and gently placed it on Rogue's covered shoulder._

_Rogue felt her eyes well up with tears and she averted her gaze. "Fine, damnit. Pass me the wine red one."_

_Kitty grinned and reached for it, "OK. That'll be a totally great color for you."_

_Rogue rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She began to remove her gloves./_

Rogue sighed. She really didn't want to think about Kitty. She had finished her morning meditations and her morning exercises. There was nothing left to do but take a shower.

So she did. But instead of being able to enjoy the pounding of water against her skin, she found herself thinking back to her night with the Cajun. Rogue had been more than ready to drop him and take a cab home. Why had he stuck with her anyway? Emma had made herself _more_ than available, showing off her touchable beauty. There as no logical reason why the serial charmer should have passed Emma over and stayed with her. But he had. And Emma had left. And dash it all if that didn't please her to bits.

And then they had fought… and somehow it was beautiful, better than any sparring match she had ever had. He was challenging to her, his moves were unexpected and precise, but she had been able to meet each one, almost instinctively, surprising even herself. Rogue was aware that at some point both of them had started showing off a bit. If it was a real fight, she was sure that they would have conserved their energy--there had been no real need to flip around like both of them had. But it had been fun.

Rogue suddenly realized that she didn't want to see what a real fight between them would look like. Because from what she had seen of his fighting last night…it wouldn't end well. For either of them.

Then that thing had happened with his eyes. She didn't think he did it on purpose. If he had, he would have moved to take advantage of it more quickly. _Ah wonder if that…hypnotism is part of his powers too? Ah should bring it up ta Hank._

Remy--_Gambit_--had seemed genuinely concerned for her when she had conked out. _Talk about embarrassin'. Oh well, nothing Ah could have done about it. _But then he just _had _to push it and reach over and start something again by touching her.

_Ya started the flirting first, _a timid voice of reason offered from the back of her head.

_Shut-up. _No wonder the voice had been timid.

_What did he mean when he said that he liked me just the way Ah am? Is he… _glad_ for mah mutation? Ah don't understand._

Not that it mattered. Soon they'd be working out a way to get him together with Emma, if she hadn't managed to get the information out of Remy--_Gambit's_--head last night.

Not that Rogue cared about that. No, she had been perfectly willing to leave Remy--_Gambit! The target, remember?--_cooling his heals at the gym as she headed back to the hotel alone.

But then Emma had called her cell phone and instructed her to "be nice." Let him take her home. Since Emma had disappeared and as far as she could tell the evening was a bust, she had done it. After all, she was their connection to the target. If Emma couldn't manage to do her job, she would stay in the active loop a little longer so that they could maintain a steady line on their target.

The fact that she had liked riding with him on his motorcycle had everything to do with the fine machine and nothing to do with the man steering it.

The way he had blatantly ripped off The Princess Bride again with his "as you wish" line was not amusing and sweet, it was annoying and corny.

And the way she was lying to herself now was not pathetic, it was effective and now she wouldn't think about him again until they discussed him in the meeting.

Right.

Rogue groaned and plopped some gel in her hand, scrunching it in her curls and leaving them to air-dry, despite the chilly morning air.

She glanced at the clock--7:17. If she left now, she had time to grab a quick breakfast from somewhere before she had to be at the meeting.

Rogue quickly applied some light make-up and then tugged on her gloves. She left her room and stepped outside the hotel only to find everyone's favorite swamp rat leaning casually against the pillar of the covered walkway. A cigarette dangled loosely from his hand at his side, the smoke floating up straight as a ruler until the wind caught it and blew it away. He was wearing his trench coat and his hair fell carelessly over his sunglasses onto his cheeks. He had shaved, and his skin looked soft and smooth to touch. _Touch._ _If only… and if only he wasn't so sinfully beautiful._

He looked up at her entrance and his entire presence seemed to take on an anticipatory glow, drawing her to him.

That didn't mean she had to like it.

She stomped over to him. "What are ya doin' here?"

"I wanted t' see ya."

"Why?" she challenged.

"'cause you're beautiful," he returned, almost carelessly. As if it was the most natural thing in the world for a man to get up early just to come see her. As if he couldn't imagine why every other man in the world wasn't standing behind him, just for a glance at her.

She wasn't… she couldn't actually be… _blushing, _could she? The man was the frickin' target!

"Ain't it a bit early in the day for swamp rats?"

"Wouldn't miss dis sight for de world, _cherie_."

Her eyes narrowed, "What sight?"

He gestured to her face, "Ya, blushin'. Y' look even more _belle _when you're all flushed like dat. It's like a rosy sunset touchin' white marble."

No…her blush didn't just _increase_, did it? Aw, hell, what was the matter with her? _He's the target, Rogue! The frickin' target! _

"Well ain't ya the poet," she sneered.

His smile deepened, "I'm a man of many talents, _chere_."

Rogue looked at him. She wanted to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier. She wanted to punch that warm smile off his face--how dare he make her stomach tingle! Did he know that it was a torment just to be around him? Damn his heartbreaking ways, anyway.

But Emma's warning--be nice to him. It's for the job.-- came back to her and she knew she couldn't just tell him off to get rid of him. But she couldn't go anywhere with him either, if she did, she couldn't be responsible for her actions… and besides, she had a meeting to go to. How was she going to get rid of him without telling him off?

Rogue decided to try honesty.

"Not now, Remy, please. Ah've had a rough night, an' Ah've got somewhere Ah need ta be."

Remy slid his sunglasses up to the top of head and revealed that he wasn't using his inducer. His warm eyes surveyed her, measuring her. He was capturing her with his eyes, drawing her in, and she knew that if she didn't break free soon, she was going to do something she'd regret.

Remy's smile warmed. "Later, den, _chere_." And he took her hand, pressed it to his lips, and walked away.

Rogue sighed ever so softly. Sometimes she hated her job. Oh well. _It's not like anything would have come of it anyways._ Rogue turned and began walking to the FORCE base in a roundabout manner. Just because he had said "later" didn't mean that he wouldn't be following her. But apparently, he hadn't. She was very good at picking out a tail, and she had made it all the way to the post office without as much as a telling tingle in the back of her neck.

She entered the base, sighing once again as the fluorescent lighting assaulted her eyes. The familiar _swish_ as the door to the briefing room opened, and the team assembled.

There was the usual muttered greetings as they took their seats.

"All right," Carol said. "What happened last night?"

Emma spoke first, "You won't be able to get the information you need from him telepathically. I tried to enter his mind several times last night. He has the strongest mental shields I've ever seen. There's no way that I can get past them without endangering myself and the target."

Bishop crossed his arms and glared at Carol.

Carol narrowed her eyes and glared back at him for a moment. Then she turned to Emma and said, "What about Tessa's idea of infiltration? You've worked information out from the inside before."

Emma shrugged, her glossy blonde hair streaming over her shoulders. "I would try it, but honestly Carol, he just didn't seem interested in me."

"Maybe if ya had paid the slightest bit of attention ta his profile, that wouldn't have been the case," Rogue muttered.

Emma turned to her and bristled, "What do you mean?"

"He's a thief, Emma. His code name is Gambit, for cryin' out loud. He looks for the challenge. Ya were throwing yourself at him, all but naked."

Emma's eyes narrowed, "If he is looking for a challenge, then perhaps you would be the perfect choice to go after him. After all, it seems as if he has a vested interest in you."

"That may not be a bad idea," Carol said. "His mental shields won't protect him from your absorption powers, Rogue."

Rogue swallowed, "But he already knows about mah powers. If Ah try ta absorb him, he'll know about it. An' then any shot at infiltrating the Thieves Guild will be blown ta heck. He ain't stupid, Carol. He'll tell his family and they'll be suspicious for months. We'll never get close again--and what if he doesn't have all the information we need?"

"That's a valid point, Rogue. As it is, you're already too close to him," Bishop said. "It's not as if he doesn't know you're a mutant. And with Emma's failed attempts to get inside his head last night, he's bound to be suspicious. Perhaps we should look into other methods of investigation," he gave Carol a significant glance.

"The fact that he knows Rogue's a mutant doesn't change the fact that he's interested in her," Emma said. "He could barely keep his eyes off her last night. It would be wiser to take advantage of the opportunity that has presented itself."

"Meaning that you would have Rogue make herself available to the whims of this knave in an attempt to lull him into voluntarily handing over the information?" Beast spoke with a slightly protective growl in his voice.

Emma shrugged, "It's no more than what you were having me do. And if the situation became too much for her to handle, she could always just absorb the information out of him and disappear."

"I am uncertain that Rogue absorbing Gambit would be a viable option," Tessa said. "If the necessary information is deeply buried in Gambit's psyche, she may have to hold on too long. I am concerned about the affect that would have on her."

Rogue bristled at that. She had more control over her mutation than they knew, and her reabsorbtion of her psyches left her with only the most friendly ones able to act somewhat independently. She wasn't about to let some Cajun psyche take her over, and she wouldn't have to hold onto him that long in order to get his deepest memories--she just had to know what she was looking for. But she didn't want this job, so she kept her mouth shut.

Carol turned and looked at her. "Would you be able to handle it?"

_Shoot. Ah don't want ta dodge a direct question about mah abilities._ "Ah've been gettin' a better grip on controlling what Ah take out," was all she offered.

Apparently, it was enough. "Good. I'm confident that you will be able to do this. Since he's interested, take advantage of that. Play up to him, get as close as you can and try and get him to give you the information we need."

Rogue stared at Carol in disbelief. "Do ya really think that a practiced playboy like Remy LeBeau is gonna give up information if Ah bat mah eyes at him real slow? It's not as if Ah can bribe him with more than that." _Not that Ah would, no-account swamp rat._

Carol stood up, shuffling her notes together. She still preferred paper to Smartpads, she had always liked the feeling of writing her thoughts down. "You know better than that, Rogue. You know he's just after a challenge. Challenge him right back. Play the intrigue game. You know how to do that. You were taught by the best, after all."

Rogue swallowed in shock. _Ah can't believe she just said that._ She forced aside her pain at Carol's comment, knowing that she didn't mean anything by it, and said, "Fine. Ah'll do it. But what information am Ah tryin' ta get out of him?"

Bishop coughed, and Carol glanced at him, frowning. She turned her attention back to Rogue but couldn't quite meet her eyes. "It would be better if you didn't know that in the beginning. I don't want it to seem like you're fishing. Just concentrate on getting him to open up to you."

Rogue's jaw dropped. _She did _not_ just say that. Ah must be hearing things. She _couldn't_ have said what Ah thought she just said._

"You're dismissed, everyone," and Carol headed towards the door.

Like a shot, Rogue was out of her chair, following her. "Carol, wait just a minute."

Rogue caught up to Carol in the hallway and reached for her elbow. Carol flinched away, the first time she had done that in…years.

_Does she think Ah'm just gonna absorb the answers out of her? _Rogue thought, crushed. Then she got mad_. Maybe Ah should if this is the treatment Ah get! After years…_

"What is it, Rogue?" Carol met her gaze. There was some indefinable emotion flickering in her blue eyes, and all Rogue could think about was how in the past five minutes everything that she had known to be true in her relationship with Carol Danvers had been put to the test.

"Ah think we need ta talk, Carol," she said softly, seriously.

"Rogue!" Emma's voice called from behind her. "I'd like to talk to you for a minute, please."

"Ah'm busy, Emma," Rogue said without turning around. She was still staring at Carol.

"No, that's all right," Carol said. "We'll talk later, Rogue." And then she turned and walked away, leaving Rogue alone in the white hallway with Emma.

Rogue shook her head slightly. _Ah can't believe it._ There was no doubt now--Carol was hiding something and hiding something big. What was it? And she was mad. _After her promise--she knows what this means to me--how can she--_

"Rogue?" Emma spoke from behind her.

Rogue took a deep breath and attempted to clamp down on her fury. She would not turn around and face a telepath upset. She would be calm, and all her mental blocks would be firmly in place before she turned around. Yes. There. Good.

She turned around, her eyes narrowed, "What do you want?" her voice was a low growl. _Well, maybe not calm. But the mental blocks are up, that's something._

Emma smiled at her and leaned forward conspiratorially. She spoke in a low voice, meant for only Rogue to hear, "If you want, I can enter your mind again and enhance your mental shields. Hank and Tessa are practically certain that if you can control your psyches you will be able to touch."

Despite everything, Rogue had to let out an amused snort. "Ah'm touched by yer concern, Emma, really. But it'll be a cold decade in Hell before Ah _evah_ let ya into mah mind again."

Emma shrugged, and flipped back her beautiful blonde hair. "Suit yourself. I know that you don't trust me. I just thought that you might want to enjoy this assignment to its fullest potential." She stepped a little closer to Rogue and lowered her voice, "I know that you want him, Rogue. You should have the benefit of mixing business with pleasure."

_That _bitch_. That cold, conniving, sneaking, _bitch_. She had me assigned ta Remy just so she could tempt me into letting her into mah mind! Mystique would be downright impressed. _

Rogue tapped into one of her psyche's super strength and slammed Emma into the wall, holding her by her shoulders. "Don't think that just because ya're still breathing Ah've forgotten what ya did ta me. Don't imagine that the fact that ya're still alive has anything ta do with ya. The only reason ya're not dead is because Carol managed ta convince meh that ya are currently more useful that way. The _instant_ Ah have reason ta change mah mind about your usefulness, ya won't have a chance to be surprised for long."

Then Rogue dropped her mental barriers and opened her mind to her untamed psyches. With all that was within her, she _slammed_ Emma with the craziness that she kept contained inside her head. The psyches were more than willing to help with the attack, and they launched their awareness with maniacal glee.

Emma screamed and collapsed. Rogue released her, and Emma slumped to the floor.

Rogue didn't even blink as she stared at the woman she had been forced to accept as a teammate.

_Ain't so invulnerable now, are ya, bitch? _The coldness of her mental voice startled her, and Rogue forced herself to take a deep breath and step away from Emma.

The psyches were screaming, clamoring for more. They had been contained for so long…Getting them contained again had to be her first priority. Rogue wasn't about to be taken over now.

She put up a temporary shield and left the base, the glaring fluorescent lights flickering behind her.

XXXXXXXX

Remy was doing pull-ups in his apartment. He never counted them initially, just went until he couldn't go anymore. Then, once his muscles started to burn and he felt as if he couldn't lift a feather, he would begin to count. Those were the only ones that mattered.

He was still in the stage where he wasn't counting when his cell phone rang. He dropped lightly down to his feet, walked over to his desk and picked it up.

"'ello."

"Remy? _Il est moi_." Lapin's voice sounded funny…almost cautious.

"What's up, Lapin?"

"I finished decoding what ya sent me."

"_Bien_! Send it over."

"T'ink I should warn y' about somet'ing first," Lapin muttered.

Remy felt his heart still. "_Quoi_?"

"Remember last year when de Assassins were banging down our door, trying every trick in dere book t' get us t' help dem find out who took down de Hellfire Club?"

"_Oui_."

"Well, if we had had dis file den, de Assassins would have owed us plenty."

Remy wasn't stupid. Not by a long shot. But he didn't see what Emil was getting at. "What are y' sayin'? Spit it out, Lapin."

Emil sighed. "De girl wit' de black rose petal signature? She works for de government. She's de _fille _who took down de Hellfire club."

A long pause, then he spoke, "Send Gambit all de details. Everyt'ing ya got."

* * *

Translations_: vous clochard paresseux:_ you lazy bum _Frere_: brother 

AN: uh-oh. He used his code name. That can't be good... Sigh. Yes, enter the Bella Donna…is it wrong that I love that flashback? She's just so…yuck. Although I have to give props to authors that write her likeable (notably Black Queen), I'm not gonna be one of them. And--oh, now I've gone and made things even more messy. Just when they were starting to get good, too. Oh well, I hope you enjoyed that bit when Remy came to see her--I think it's one of my favorite romantic scenes that I've ever written. So, yeah, whatcha think? Reviews are motivation, people. :0)

My favorite lines this time were: _Let's see…do I tell mon frere dat it's because she felt me pickin' her pocket, or dat she seems completely resistant to m' charms, or dat she nearly kicked m' ass last night, or dat she's got untouchable skin? Choices, choices._

Note about "Stolen Hearts." Woah, what a response! I consider myself commissioned--I'll do my best to write it in when I can.

Review Responses:

Bored247: wow, to be compared (even in the vaguest way) to chocolate. That's a great complement. Thank you very much. Hope this is soon enough and that you enjoyed it.  
Roguechere: LOL, good, I'm glad you've seen the Princess Bride. And--for you--I will do my best to work in that line…don't know how…but I'll try. My personal favorite lines are at the end of the Miracle Max scene. "Bye bye, boys have fun storming the castle!" "Ya think it'll work?" "It would take a miracle." Together: "Bye, bye!" :Sigh: I love that. Anyways YES it was long…man were my fingers aching. An' I'm glad you enjoyed it, 'cause when I was writing it I didn't think that was there. So anyways, hope you enjoyed this.  
Cat: I'm not sure if Peace and Love comes under Squirrel Domination… Anyways, SO GLAD you liked it that much. I would also like to state that I did not PLAN on having Remy grab Rogue while they were fighting. I was just trying to see the fight and the position and the characters...and I swear Remy moved his hand all by himself. Kinda freaked me out when he did that, but hey, it's Remy and I suppose I shouldn't be at all surprised. YES! He touched her! I'm so glad you picked up on that! But he hasn't really had a chance to think it through yet…and Rogue doesn't know about it, being unconscious and all…Yeah, don't like Emma. No reason to like her. But yes, Tessa rocks. And I know, Bishop's cool and I'm sorry for making him a jerk, but some things are necessary. And now, things get even more complicated! Mwa-ha-ha! Aww, and just when it looked like Remy might be considering otherwise, too. Oh well. (I know, I'm bad.) Hope this is soon enough for me to be safe from the squirrels.  
Chica de los Ojos café: Glad you found it worth the wait, I worked hard on it. And I'd tell ya what was up with Bishop and Emma and Carol, but then that would spoil the story. And you wouldn't want that, would you? Hope you enjoyed this too.  
Ishandahalf: Don't worry, I promise that you'll learn about the team as soon as I can fit it into the story. I'm glad you're curious about them, that means I did my job. Oh and I'm THRILLED that you think I wrote Hank right. I worked hard on that, and I was worried that the 'Charlotte's Web' thing might have been too trite for him, but he was playing and I'm glad you enjoyed that.  
I'm also glad that you're enjoying the furthered complications, and I hope that you enjoy what happens after this. I'm interested in your response to the Bella Donnaness too... Yeah, I was relieved when he ignored Emma. At first, I wasn't writing him that way, but then it was if he came up and tapped me on the shoulder and punched me in the face...well, figuritively speaking. Ditching Rogue for Emma is just not something he would do.  
Addtothenoise: Yay, you read my story! That makes me glad. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. So…when are ya gonna update Escape from Paradise? Oh, and I've been meaning to ask you--did you take your name from the Switchfoot song?  
Grenwich: LOL, I'm glad that you enjoyed the quoted bits. I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well.  
Enchanted light; :bow: Thank you, thank you. Here you go! Hope you like it.  
Valerie: Thank you! Yes, the Princess Bride rocks! Have you ever read the book? Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.  
Wrapped in banana foil: Aw, I didn't mean to make you wait anxiously, but I'm glad it had that affect! So, here ya go, what do you think?  
Eileen: Wow, yay, you read my story! THANK YOU! I'm glad that the email came at a good time. And thank you for your kind complement. I cracked up on your reviews. You're a great reviewer!  
I'm glad you liked the bit about the eyes, because it was mostly inspired from your Freedom Caper, which handles the whole eye-thing in (imho) the coolest way. Ya know, the part where he doesn't want Rogue to see them because they tend to make him just an object or a demon…and she doesn't care…and he loves that! I go all "aww" inside just thinking about it.  
Yes, this Remy is quite the confident little punk. Sometimes when I'm writing him, I'm like--if I ever actually _met_ anyone with this attitude, I would last about two seconds before laughing in his face. But I'm kinda looking at it this way…he's 26 and it's the first time he's met Rogue. No one else has ever said no and meant it. Rogue is totally contradicting all of his experiences! Heh heh. Good on her. :-D  
No, it's not love between them, not even at this point. Attraction, yes, but even that's not all that reliable It was starting to move into definite _like_ territory for both of them…but then I threw in a couple of monkey wrenches. Let's see what happens.  
I'm glad that Remy stuck with Rogue. He almost didn't, but he's not _that_ much of a louse.  
Man, what did Carol ever do to you? (Nevermind, don't answer that.) I mean, I thought I was writing her kinda nice. Oh well. As for Rogue absorbing her, well…we'll just see. I'm working on that. And I've just gotta ask--do you hate Emma all the time, or did I bring on this myself? Because if I did, I am very proud of myself. I don't much like her ever and I can't stand her in this story. And while I can't deliver her head on a platter just yet, I hope that you enjoyed her come-uppence in this chapter. (Man, Marvel really seems to have it out for blondes, huh? I mean, Carol, Bella Donna, Emma…it's almost enough to make me want to dye my hair darker.)  
Thank you SO MUCH for reading and I hope you continue to do so.  
Kit: You know what I love about your reviews, besides the fact that you do them? You pick up on the stuff that I work really hard over, like the FORCE base and technology. Glad you liked Beast, you have EVERY right to be suspicious of Bishop and Emma, and 'to some extent Carol.' I'm not bringing in Piotr or Kurt, but I'll work them into Stolen Hearts when I get around to it, ok? And I'd tell you what was going on with Kitty and Bobby--but then it'd ruin the surprise.#  
Lyrit Liltrick: I'm glad you're glad that I updated! Wow, you translated Ovid? Cool, what for? I've read the Metamorphosis, but in English. And the dirtiest classical thing I've ever read was The Decameron--seriously I blushed for a week after I was assigned that. Don't recommend it, honestly. But anyways…Yes, Princess Bride Rocks! Hope you liked this bit!


	6. Target Practice and Hitting on the Mark

**Disclaimer**: Quick, someone find the license for Rogue and Gambit! What? What do you mean Marvel still has it? I thought we had arranged a trade, my dust bunnies for the rights to Stan Lee's characters. What do you mean, all I'm getting is a court summons. Stan Lee fell off his chair and cracked his rib laughing and is suing me for damages? Yeesh, some people are so touchy…

If you heard me speaking French, you would laugh. Really, you would, and it wouldn't matter if you knew it or not because I so very obviously don't. However, there is this fish who's name is Babel…

* * *

Chapter 6: Target Practice and Hitting on the Mark 

Gambit studied the information on the computer in front of him with an intensity that he usually only reserved for preparing a heist. What he found was…not much. The information raised more questions than it answered.

The government document was disappointingly brief. All it did was write in confirmation that, yes, Rogue a high ranking member of FORCE had gone under cover and taken down the Hellfire Club. Yes, it had gotten a bit more violent than strictly necessary, but everything that had been done was done under the umbrella of FORCE's approval and there was to be no inquiry. Yes, FORCE apologizes for the inconvenience of several high ranking members of political society, but that was the price that they paid in becoming involved in organized crime.

The information that Emil had sent him from the Assassins was slightly more helpful. Apparently, the take down had been a bloody mess--but no one had been killed. This had caused the Assassins no small amount of irritation--who could do that much damage without killing? Why?

Apparently, Rogue could. _But she didn't seem like de type to do somet'ing dis sloppy. She seemed more like she would want t' do it without a trace._

It surprised him how calmly he was taking the fact that Rogue was a government agent. Maybe it was because he had yet to consider the personal implications of that fact. It just fit so well with everything that had made her 'not normal,' the way she seemed hyper observant about everything, the way that she had been open to fighting, the way that she had fought, the hotel she stayed in…

She was a government agent.

And he was a thief.

There could only be one possible reason why she would be in contact with him. She wanted to take down the Guild.

There was no way in hell he was going to let that happen. The safest thing to do would be to cut out of town and take his vacation to Bermuda. He had always liked the tropics…

But she had never once approached him…not in the club, not in the park… Could the agency that she worked for be so confident that he would make the first move? No, there was no way anyone was that good. Or that careless.

But "FORCE" had enough authority to politely tell the CIA to take its inquiry and stuff it.

No, Rogue would never be that careless. She relied on control--he could see it every time he invaded her space. She was afraid to hurt him, to touch him…wasn't she?

How much of the woman that so intrigued him was real?

He had to find out.

No, no that was stupid. He wasn't a kid anymore, he didn't _need_ this challenge of cracking this top-notch government agent, making this beautiful, skillful woman think that she had him, getting the untouchable eating out of his hand only to drop her in the dust, leave her thinking that she had played her best game only to find that she had lost everything to the Prince of Thieves…

Damn. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do it.

No, he wasn't feeling betrayed. He wasn't angry that Rogue was just using him for his position. He was just a player who didn't like being played. And he had to admit, he had been. He had been falling for her…her sad eyes, that closed and never let anyone see the pain…

She wasn't making up the pain. He knew that. He had felt it.

Suddenly, he was almost glad for it. After all, she had nearly made him hope.

But she never let anyone see her joy either. The beauty that she felt as she was walking along singing to the morning or dancing and forgetting herself to music.

_Unless it was all a lie. Unless she never was any of dat. Unless it was all calculated just t' get t' me._

_But how could dey have such accurate information on me wit'out de Guild knowing? I know I haven't ever been obvious enough t' get a good profile, an' no 'path woulda gotten t'rough me or m' family's shields wit'out at least Tante Mattie knowin'…_

Sitting here staring at his computer was only sending him in circles. He needed to get out, clear his head. Remy grabbed his keys and headed to his motorcycle.

He drove around blindly, just enjoying the wind on his face and the feel of a powerful machine beneath him.

When the bike came to a stop he had to blink before he realized where he was: Rogue's hotel.

Remy scowled at the bike. He didn't want to go here, not until he had made up his mind about what to do. But apparently neither his bike or his body was listening to him at the moment, because he was off the bike and climbing up the fire escape on the building across from Rogue's window.

Her window was open and the drapes were drawn. She was lying on her bed with her eyes closed, breathing slowly.

_Damn, she's beautiful, _he growled. He let his eyes trace over the contours of her body one more time. Maybe the last time.

But there were still so many unanswered questions.

Who was she? What was FORCE? It was odd for him not to recognize the name of a secret government agency. He didn't like it.

He could learn as much from her as she hoped to learn from him.

Remy forced himself to review his memories of her analytically, from the moment that he saw her dancing in the club. What were the pluses and minus in trying to figure out how much of the woman lying peacefully in front of him was real?

He would have to be extra careful to never touch her--and though he had thought of several ways around her mutation already, he wasn't sure playing Rogue was worth the risk. He had seen first hand what her powers could do, if she referenced what she had learned from him when she slapped him…

But wait. Last night. When she had passed out after they had fought--_No, LeBeau. Don't t'ink 'bout how she felt against ya, how smoothly ya moved toget'er like someone had choreographed ya. She's not'ing more dan a mark. A potential mark at dat. Ya can still walk away_--he had touched her. How was that possible? Was it because she was unconscious? Or was it something else--more importantly, could he replicate it?

Showing her touch and leaving her would be the perfect payback for enticing him to hope.

And even if he couldn't do it skin on skin, he could warm her up enough to shatter her heart when he left her. Remy knew that her heart was beginning to be engaged--the way that she had reacted to him that morning was proof enough. All that he would have to do was turn up the charm, appear to be exactly what she never knew she always wanted, give the 'agent' in her just enough information to think that she was succeeding--then disappear.

That would be perfectly satisfying. It was along the lines of what he had planned to do in the first place, anyway. Except this time, he didn't just want to steal her heart and walk around inside her skin, finding out and appreciating who she was only to leave uncaring of the consequences--he would ensure that she would never recover from her encounter with the King of Hearts.

He ignored the twinge of pain and conscience he felt. _De _femme _already carries so much pain. It's better just to leave. Don' need t' hurt her, she didn't know what she was doin' t' me--I can just walk away._

He watched as Rogue got up off of her bed and made her way to her suitcase, then to the bathroom. She was moving slowly, as if gravity was threatening to overcome her at any moment. He didn't need to extend his empathy towards her to see her pain and anger. He recognized it from the way that she moved. It hadn't been too long ago that he had been walking that way himself.

_Fine den, _he told his conscience, _I won' break her heart deliberately, any more dan I deliberately break de heart of any ot'er _femme _I win and leave._

Rogue had changed in the bathroom. Her steps were a bit lighter now as she slipped on her sneakers and left her room.

_Now where she goin'?_

He wanted to follow her and find out. How had she gotten into this secret world of spies and criminals anyway?

Non_, jus' walk away. Ya don' need dis. _

What the heck was FORCE?

_Ya can find out some ot'er way. Ya don' need t' get involved. Ya on vacation, remember?_

Why had she gone against every pattern that he ever saw in her in the way that she took down the Hellfire Club?

_T'ink Bermuda. De Caribbean. Beautiful girls in bikinis. All de rum ya can drink._

And he never was one to back away from a challenge. There was a reason why they called him Gambit.

He smirked and silently as a shadow descended to follow her at a distance. Who wanted a normal vacation anyway?

_Acknowledge de risks and play de game. Ya always were one for high stakes. It's de best way t' play. An' dis one looks like loads of fun._

XXXXXXXX

She was lying on her bed after taming her psyches, her eyes closed and her hair splayed out in all directions. This, Rogue decided, was a Bad Day. Having had more than her share of Bad Days in the past, she felt she was somewhat of an expert on the subject. This might even be called a Very Bad Day, except no one had died and she had gotten the satisfaction of slamming Emma Frost into a wall. Yes, she felt very well qualified to make her decision: today was a Bad Day.

Rogue knew that she was faced with several very real and difficult problems. The biggest one she saw at the moment was that the day wasn't over yet. Bad Days had a nasty habit of getting worse once you realized that they were Bad Days and left them alone. No, steps definitely needed to be taken. The way she saw it, her options were either pour over all of the information that she had like a good little super spy and try to figure this whole mess out, which felt like a deliberate stretching out of the Bad Day, or she could go to the store and get a pint of Edy's Dreamery Chocolate Truffle ice cream, some chocolate covered pretzels, a pack of Riesens, and some milk, and wallow in chocolate until she was sick. Or, she could really treat herself and stuff all her problems into the back of her mind and…

Why not? It was still a few hours to sunset. She should have plenty of time to get there.

Rogue got out of bed and walked over to her suitcase, removed some items, and went into her bathroom to change, feeling strangely reluctant to go near her window and shut it. But she didn't question the feeling, it was probably just part of her Bad Day and she wasn't thinking about that anymore.

A few moments later, she came out covered in her baggy sweatshirt and loose pants with her hair up in a pony tail. She stared longingly at a pair of flip-flops, but decided to be practical and shoved on sneakers instead. Then, grabbing a hotel towel, she left the room.

_At least the day hadn't been a total waste. _She had gotten the keys to a jeep from FORCE's supplies. Carol didn't know that yet, but then she wouldn't since she had refused to talk to Rogue, and that was just too bad, wasn't it?

_No, that's not the way ta do it, girl. Relax. Focus on the drive. Have some fun._

Technically, it was a two hour drive to the coast. Rogue made it in an hour and fifteen minutes.

Just as she had thought, the beach was deserted. Who would be at the beach near sunset in early September? No one but the Rogue.

Sure, she had grown up by The River, but it hadn't taken long for her to become equally addicted to the ocean. There was something about the sound of the waves on the shore that soothed her and drew her in. The sound spoke to her of longing and of loss, of a world out there that was bigger than she was. Sometimes she needed that reminder.

Rogue took off her shoes and held them casually in one hand before stepping on the sand. It was still warm from the day's sun--the sun itself was just starting to go down.

She let out a relieved sigh, feeling some of the tension in her chest ease. She had made it in time.

Rogue walked slowly to the boarder of wet and dry sand. She dropped her towel and her shoes on the ground and pulled off her sweatshirt, then her pants, revealing her simple black one-piece swimmers suit. She didn't have time or inclination to wear anything fancier--when she went near the water, she was always alone. And when she went into the water, it was to _swim_ and she didn't want to be slowed down by straps falling off her shoulders.

A light breeze caressed her and she stood and watched the sun dip down into the ocean, admiring the rosy hues reflecting in the sky and water.

Rogue took a deep breath, breathing in the salt air. Smiling a little, she reached up one hand and removed her ponytail holder, shaking her hair down around her shoulders. She tilted her head back so that her long hair fell nearly to her waist. Then she shook her head from side to side, causing her curls to jump and caress her bare back.

_That feels so soft, so good._

Then she lay down, her legs on the wet sand and her back on the dry scratchy sand. She let the ocean run over her and focused on feeling nothing but the waves and the sand.

She stayed there for a time, how long she didn't know.

Usually, this was enough. She could get lost in the sensation of the smooth salty water rushing over her skin and the contrasting scratchy-sharp touch of the sand on her back. Everything else would drift away as she closed her eyes and concentrated--simply allowing herself to feel.

But that wasn't happening today. All she could think about was Carol's betrayal, Bishop's secretiveness--why had he joined FORCE, anyway?--, Emma Frost, breathing, and of course _him._

The dampness of her swimsuit only irritated her and the water and sand simply weren't enough.

_Damn. _She felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. But she wouldn't give into them, instead she smashed a fist into the oncoming wave.

There was no hope for it. It was time to initiate operation STRIP: "Seek Touch Relentlessly In (any) Place." She _had_ to leave the Bad Day behind, she would not lose herself to pity.

Rogue deliberately scraped her back over the dry sand, relishing the torture its roughness provided against her sensitive skin, and slowly stood.

She lifted her hair away--partially damp and dry, shivering in the light breeze--and draped it over her shoulder. The wind hit her back and she relished the stinging sensation. Her hands found the clasp behind her neck and she began to unhook it when she froze. Something in her stomach clenched and her body began to prepare for a fight.

_It ain't possible._

But everything in her was telling her that someone was watching.

She pitched her voice so that it would carry while remaining low and somewhat inviting, "Ya just gonna watch, or are ya gonna come out?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Following Rogue unnoticed took all of Remy's skill, and it was fun for that reason, not only because he had to be stealthy, but because his _mark_ drove like an adrenaline junkie, switching lanes and handling curves with finesse and speed.

He laughed. He couldn't help it. He had had _fun_ trailing her--not many a person could stretch the limits of his driving abilities. And this was a mere _femme_!

_Wonder what she's like on a bike? _

_No, dat's not de way t' t'ink, _he reprimanded himself as he stopped his bike well away from where Rogue had parked her jeep_. Remember who she is, who she works for. _

He had a feeling that not admiring Rogue was going to be harder than he thought. _Well, dere ain't not'ing wrong wit' lookin'. Jus' so long as I keep m' head in de game._

Remy watched her as she shed her clothes and gasped at the vision before him. She was wearing a simple modest swimsuit. Her legs, back, and arms were bare. Remy knew that he was seeing what very few people had ever seen before. And he had to say that was a crying shame, a crime. A body that perfectly formed should be put on display. His eyes slowly traveled up her long, long, graceful legs and paid special attention to her thinly clad rear before tracing her perfectly sculpted yet divinely feminine back.

_Merde, _was all he could think. He clenched his hands into fists to restrain himself from walking over to her. Instead, he hid in the shadows.

As Rogue stood in her swimsuit and watched the sun set, Remy watched Rogue. The colors of a dying sun lit the sky in vivid reds, golds, and purples. The air around Rogue seemed especially tinged with radiance. The sun's rays caught on her hair and brought out the cinnamon highlights, tainting the white streaks red. Her skin--_so smooth--_was gleaming in the light of the sunset.

_It's as if she's drawing de beauty and fire of it into herself… She even absorbs de beauty dat's around her. _

He watched as she shook her hair down over her back, exposing the long smooth line of her throat and thrusting out her chest as her curls bounced along her skin.

Remy wasn't sure if he had ever been so turned on.

Rogue slowly lifted her head and began to walk towards the water.

To his surprise, she didn't go in to swim. Instead she lay down on the sandy beach, just teasing the edge of the surf, and let the waves wash over her.

_What's she doin'? Why's she doin' dis?_

He wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, all he knew was that he was hardly breathing as he watched her.

Suddenly, she raised her hand and crashed a fist down into an oncoming wave.

_What now?_

She stood up slowly, deliberately dragging her body against the sand. Her hands went behind her neck to the clasp of her suit.

He felt his breath catch. _Dis is more dan even I hoped for._

She began to unbuckle it when suddenly, she froze.

"Ya just gonna watch, or are ya gonna come out?" she said.

Remy was surprised. He knew that she hadn't seen him. His shields protected him from telepathic detection. _How…?_

He stepped forward.

"How'd ya know I was here, _cherie_?"

"Ah didn't. Ah guessed."

She turned to face him.

They stared at each other for a long moment.

"What are ya doin' here?" Rogue spoke first. Her voice was casual, showing only mild surprise.

Remy took out a cigarette, and lit it with his powers, subtly reminding her of 'all that they had shared.' "Could ask ya de same question, _chere_."

Her neutral expression morphed into a smirk. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ah go on one date with ya an' ya're stalkin' me now? Ah didn't take ya for the desperate type."

He couldn't let _that_ stand. "_Mais_, ya misunderstand Remy. He came to your hotel room t' see if ya were interested in a late dinner only t' see ya leavin'. He called out t' ya, but ya didn't hear him. So he followed ya here…" Remy trailed off at the skeptical look on Rogue's face. "It's more innocent den it seems," he finished somewhat lamely.

"An' so ya were just planning on standin' there watching meh strip?"

Remy shrugged, "Couldn't bring m'self t' stop such a _belle_ show. Sure an' it would only improve de view. Not dat," and he moved to step very close to her, "it ain't wort' lookin' at now. 'Cause I tell ya true, it is. Don' know when I've ever seen anyt'ing so _belle_."

Rogue shuddered. Remy hoped it wasn't just from the cold…that really was doing wonderful things through her swimsuit.

"Don't stand so close ta me," she whispered, taking a precautionary step back.

"I'm covered," he said gesturing with his gloved hands to his trench coat. He stepped forward again.

"That don't mean ya can't still be hurt," her eyes narrowed and she stepped back.

"Mebbe being wit' y' is worth dat risk." He stepped even closer to her and reached out for her with his now fully gloved hands.

"Stop that!" she growled at him, evading his grasp. "Ya don't know what ya're doing. It's not just your risk. It's mah mind. Ah don't want ya in it."

Inwardly, Remy rejoiced. It seemed Rogue really was sincere in her desire not to absorb him. But why? _It would be de best way t' get information…_

"Ya sure it ain't too late for dat, _cherie_?" he dragged his leering gaze over her scantily clad form.

"Ya arrogant bastard!" she yelled. "Ya are insufferable! How do ya even breathe past that ego of yours! It's surely stuffed your brain so not a thought can get through, Ah'm shocked that it hasn't blocked your air passages!"

Rogue's eyes were flashing a deep entrancing green and her cheeks were flushed. She had moved her arms away from her chest and her hands flailed wildly emphasizing her agitation, causing her body to move with them.

Remy felt the objective part of his mind turn off--his ability to be cautious was completely gone. But that didn't bother him--after all, his ability to be cautious was completely gone.

He shook his head slowly, his eyes never stopping their observation of her form. "Ya look _tres belle _when ya're angry, _chere_."

Rogue gave him a blank look, "Does '_tres_' mean three? All this French is makin' me curious about what ya're hidin'."

"Ah _quelque chose dat que nous avons en commun. Remy a une langue curieuse. Il veut toujours t 'vont endroit qu'il met appartiennent._" (1)

Rogue blushed and glared at him. "Didn't anyone ever tell ya it's rude ta talk ta someone in a language they don't understand?"

"It seems dat Remy has a lot t' learn. Will y' teach him, _chere_?" He stepped close to her and slid one gloved finger up her bare arm.

Rogue smiled sweetly, "Sorry, Swamp Rat, Ah don't think there's a course for the terminally rude."

"An' y' would know, wouldn't ya River Rat?" he snapped. _He was _not _rude…_

She looked smug that she had got him riled. "Ah would. Ah've been diagnosed as terminal long ago. The fact that Ah'm still alive has defied all expectations."

His eyes slid over her body again. "Remy's sure dat's true."

"Drop dead."

"Y' first."

Somehow they were less than a breath apart from each other, standing so close that they could feel each other's heat. They were locked in each other's gaze. Rogue was practically standing on tip-toe so she could meet him eye-to-eye, tension rippling through her body. Remy was equally tense, his hands forming unconscious fists at his sides. Suddenly they each became aware of just how close they were to each other.

Remy reached for her.

Rogue stumbled back.

"Ah told ya ta keep away." She quickly grabbed her sweatshirt and shoved it on.

Remy watched her. He was really beginning to hate that sweatshirt.

"_Desole, chere_," he said. "Remy can not keep away from y'." He was a little frightened at how close that was to being true.

Her eyes narrowed again, "An' why is that?"

"Ya fascinate me," he blurted. Remy nearly blushed when he realized that he hadn't planned that statement at all. _Merde. I'm in it deep. Better play de hand ya're dealt, Gambit._ With a stern mental shake--he found it much easier to think now that Rogue was wearing more clothes, though her long bare legs were still distracting--he made the best of his blunder. "I want t' know all about ya. What do ya like, what do ya dream about? What do ya do? What's your real name? Who are ya, Rogue?"

Rogue's mouth set into a grim line. "Look Remy, Ah…" She bit the inside of her lip and turned away from him, letting loose a frustrated breath.

_She turned away from m' again. She's tryin' t' lock me out...but no lock has ever stood a chance wit' me._

"Don't ya want t' be wit' me too?" he said after a moment. _Bet no one has ever pursued her for her before. _And extending his empathy, he found a large amount of confusion, anger, and no short supply of misery.

"What Ah want doesn't really make a difference. All that matters is what Ah can do. An' Ah can't be with ya, Remy."

He stepped up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder, "Ya won't know unless ya try."

Rogue snorted. She stepped away from his hand and towards her discarded clothes, slipping on her gloves and then her pants. Remy noticed the odd order and was saddened, for a moment. It was a telling movement on Rogue's part, and he could use what it showed him.

"Ya don't have t' keep y'self locked up and guarded all de time," he said, gesturing to her gloves. "Ya can let yourself be free, even when ot'er people are around. Ya don't have t' hide from me, Rogue."

She looked up at him, meeting his gaze evenly and spoke calmly, "Can ya give me one good reason why Ah should trust ya?"

Remy blinked. He hadn't expected to have the tables turned on him like that. _She's good. _"Ya need t' trust someone, _petite_."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Yes, oh wise one. An' Ah'm sure ya're listening ta your own advice. Tell ya what--ya tell me the truth about who _ya_ are and what _ya_ do, an' Ah vow by all that Ah've ever held dear Ah'll do the same."

He _really_ hadn't expected that. Both her body language and his empathy confirmed the fact that Rogue was completely sincere. She had issued him a challenge--and this was a challenge that he was actually going to refuse. Because if he took it, the game was done, and he wasn't finished playing with her yet.

Rogue took his silence as her answer. "We all have our secrets, Remy. Ya can't just go up ta someone an' demand their trust just 'cause ya're there. Ya know that."

"_Oui_," he said regretfully, and scuffed a foot in the sand, playing up the 'puppy dog' angle. "Remy just wish dat ya would trust him. He wants t' know ya, _belle_."

Rogue sighed. Her shoulders were tense. _She looks like she wants t' walk away, but she's intrigued at de same time…_

She reached her hand up to her forehead and massaged her pressure points for a moment, then her hand dropped back down and she looked up at him. "Walk with me," she invited.

Remy slipped off his shoes and followed her. They walked along the water in the fading light, the waves teasing against their feet.

Normally Remy would have felt the need to fill in the silence. But there was something about just walking with her that made him feel…full. He didn't stop to analyze the feeling, he just watched her as they walked. For the first time since he had known her, she was walking with her head cast down. She avoided making eye contact with him.

_What was de point of askin' me t' walk wit' her if she ain't gonna talk?_

Somehow, the silence itself was a challenge to him. He was determined not to be the first one to break it.

After a little while, Rogue knelt down and picked something up from the sand. "Look. Isn't it beautiful?" It was the inside of a clam shell, the iridescent interior gleaming in the fading light.

He looked at her eyes, they were downcast, looking at the shell, completely entranced. A small smiled graced her lips. _**Dis **girl be de one who took out de Hellfire Club?_ Then he remembered how she had fought him, how she was staying in the most mediocre hotel, how she had managed to find her way into the Devil's Dare on her first night in town…

"It's so fragile," she said. "And so harsh out the outside. Easy ta overlook. Some people would say that it's worthless. After all, there are thousands of them. But if ya look at it, if ya _see _it, and it brings ya joy then for that moment it's unique, it has a purpose."

Her fingers closed around the shell for a moment, and he thought she was going to break it. But instead, she simply let it slip through her fingers and drop back down onto the sand, one of many shells waiting to be smoothed over by the ocean into oblivion.

"Ah'm ready ta go back now," and without waiting for him to agree, she turned around and started walking back to her abandoned things.

Remy stared after her for a long moment before walking to catch up. _Dat _femme _is a complete mystery._

XXXXXX

Rogue was washing the salt and sand off of her body in preparation for bed. She supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised that the Cajun had showed up. Murphy's law. Or damn coincidence. Either way, it figured that one of main problems had been trying to escape would find her at her get away.

He had made her _feel_ again. She hated him for that. Rogue was certain that he wasn't actually interested. She was just a challenge to him. And now he was her damn responsibility. She couldn't get away from him and what he made her feel, no matter how much she wanted to.

She scrubbed herself harder.

If she got him to leave her alone, she would probably be cut out of the loop on this operation completely. And she couldn't afford that. She needed to find out what they were hiding.

Rogue had just stepped out of the shower when her cell phone rang. _Now who could that be? _

"Yeah?"

"Rogue?" it was Bishop. He was the only one who asked her to confirm her identity when calling her _private cell phone._ _Gawd_, she hated redundancies.

_Great. One of mah favorite people. _"The one and only."

"You sound chipper," he observed.

_Ah'm a hell of a fine actress. _"Aww, are ya callin' ta check up on me, Bishop? That's so sweet." If a sugary tone could be poison, Bishop would have been dead on the third word.

"Actually, I'm calling to tell you that Carol and I have discussed it and there has been a change in your assignment."

_Careful. Why didn't they call me in ta tell me? Giving orders over a cell phone is dangerous…_ "Oh?"

"We want you to absorb him, we're worried we may be running out of time. The next time you see him, hold on long enough to get details about his life in the Guild and relating to any mutant encounters he may have had. Then report back for debriefing."

_What? And completely blow the chance ta learn about this legitimately or place someone in this 'Guild' y'all are so worried about? This is wrong, wrong, wrong. They're not telling me everything. There's no way Ah can go along with this without knowin' more. _

''Ah can't," Rogue spoke in a subdued voice, as if she was bemused.

"What do you mean you can't? This is Carol's direct order," he said.

"Ah realize that," she said, in that same small, subdued voice. "But Ah can't do it. Tonight he touched me…and nothing happened."

"What! What do you mean? How is that possible?" Bishop was not happy.

"Ah don't know." _But Ah'll think of something convincing soon._ "It's a good thing ya called, Ah was just about ta call Hank. Can ya patch me through?"

A moment's pause. "I'll go get him."

Even though there was no one there to see her, Rogue kept her expression schooled in the exact pose that she wanted to portray--bemused confusion. Facial expressions could add to tone of voice, Mystique had taught her that, and she did not want anyone becoming suspicious.

Meanwhile, her mind raced--if she could talk with Hank alone she might be able to explain that something was very, _very _rotten in the state of Denmark, but if not she needed something that would be plausible enough for him to back up her story…

For all their records, they hadn't had any confirmation about Remy's mutation until she had confirmed it herself. They only knew what she told them…

If Remy was able to charge up molecules, what would happen if the molecules around his body became charged? Magneto had managed to charge the air around him in order to block her absorption powers ever since Mystique had joined with him and warned him about her…it was just perfect that the one man in the world she could touch was a 70 year old psychopathic terrorist, but what could she say, she lived a charmed life…

"I have Beast here with me now, Rogue," Bishop said. And unless she was wrong, his voice had a slightly warning tone--what was he warning her of? And why hadn't Carol made this call? Oh, this was just so wrong, there was no way she was--

"I understand that you have a question for me, Rogue?" Hank's calm voice shook her out of her mental rant. She needed to pull this off just right.

"Yeah, Hank. Ah ran into Gambit tonight, an' he flirted with me a bit. When he reached out and brushed back some of mah hair, his hands came in contact with mah face--Ah think he was testing mah mutation. And when he touched me, all Ah felt was the warmth of his hand--no memories, no powers, nothin'. Ah was wonderin' if this could be part of his mutation? Like he builds up excess kinetic energy around his body like some sort of force field or somethin' that keeps me from being able ta absorb him?"

_And Rogue shoots…_

"Fascinating," Beast said. "This would appear to be similar to how Magneto created a charged field around him that prevented you absorbing him. I would like to study this phenomena further. But I see no logical reason why a mutant who can charge latent energy would not have excess energy around him, particularly if he was aroused in some fashion. It would appear that Gambit's mutation is keyed in with adrenaline, which his hardly uncommon."

_She scores! Three points for the home team!_

"So you can touch him?" Bishop growled.

"Ah guess so…" Rogue allowed a satisfied smirk to creep into her voice--as if she was the cat that ate the cream, finally able to touch and ready and willing to take advantage of it. _If only. An' don't bother being happy for meh, please, Ah don't think Ah could take it._

"This is just perfect," he groused. "Don't let it go to your head, Rogue. He's the target. Have your fun, but remember it's temporary."

Rogue was very glad that this little conference was taking place over the phone. Otherwise Bishop would be missing a head. And she might have a hard time explaining that.

"I hardly think that such a warning is necessary," Hank said. "Rogue can handle herself and has proven so on far more numerous occasions than I can count."

_Bless ya, Beast. If only Ah could talk with ya alone, make sure ya're not in on this too, ask ya to help me find out what "this" is…but Ah can't take that risk. Bishop won't even let ya talk with me over the phone, if Ah see ya out it might show mah suspicions…_

"But do be careful, Rogue. I realize that you must view this as an incredible opportunity, but remember that the man is a scoundrel."

_Enter the big brother._

"What's an incredible opportunity?" Carol's voice.

_An' the over-protective, hiding-something-from-meh, sister._

"Rogue is unable to absorb Gambit," Bishop growled. "Instead, he's able to get close to her--to touch her."

_Is it just me, or does he sound like a little kid sayin' "Ah told ya so?"_

"Well isn't _that_ interesting," Carol said in a flat tone of voice. "And just how are you going to handle this, Rogue?"

"I haven't had much of a chance ta think about it," she said honestly. _Especially since Ah just made it up five minutes ago. Ya should know better than ta play games with me, Carol. After all, Ah was "trained by the best."_

"It looks like we will have to meet about other methods of gaining the information we need," Bishop said.

"I suppose we will," Carol's voice was clipped, measured. Obviously hiding something. "Rogue, stay on the outside. Continue seeing Gambit. Act as if you had no other responsibilities but simply the joy of finally being able to touch someone. We don't want him getting suspicious. Lull him into a sense of complacency, and we'll contact you with the next move."

"Aren't ya gonna tell me what ya're plannin'?" It wouldn't do to abandon her character, even though Rogue knew that the answer would be no. But _they_ didn't know that she knew that they were hiding from her. And she was going to keep it that way, for now.

"Of course," Carol lied. "We'll contact you as soon as we have a confirmed plan."

"Thank ya. Ya know Ah hate bein' left in the dark," she said, unable to leave off a warning. _Please, Carol, ya know_, _ya _know_, that this isn't the way we agreed it would be. Ah thought Ah could trust ya…_

"Of course not," Carol said briskly. "Oh, and Rogue?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Carol said, a decidedly wicked smirk in her voice.

"Ha, ha," Rogue said to the dial tone.

She clenched her teeth and threw her cell phone across the room. It clattered harmlessly onto her bed.

_Great, now Ah'm lyin' ta mah own teammates. This is so wrong. What are they hidin'? Why is this happening? How did things get this bad? _

Rogue glanced at the calendar, noting tomorrow's date. She groaned. _Someday, someone will invent a working time machine. An' Ah'll go back in time an' ask Mr. Murphy a very important question: is it possible for his law ta fixate on one person? Can the entire universe bend ta make one person's personal life a living example in order ta prove itself in some sick twisted way? 'Cause Ah can offer plenty of evidence for that hypothesis._

She grimaced and stretched out her back. Then she grabbed all of Bishop's notes on this case and her laptop. She wasn't helpless, she was going to act. Rogue decided that she would stay up all night researching Remy LeBeau and the Thieves Guild and any and every possible connection with her teammates, and other known mutants.

She _would_ figure out what they were hiding, and why, and then…

She flopped on her bed and starting pouring through Bishop's extensive notes on Remy's "alleged" heists.

If she was lucky and Murphy's law took a vacation, she would be able to stay up all night and sleep through most of tomorrow, missing the day completely.

* * *

Translation: "Ah, something that we have in common. Remy has a curious tongue. It always wants to go places it doesn't belong." 

AN: Well, I don't have much to say about this chapter. Except--wow--the ocean scene got mushier than I expected. How'd _that _happen? Anyway, this is mostly build up. La la la, build build build. Hope it managed to keep your interest.  
Favorite line: He was really beginning to hate that sweatshirt.  
Reviews make me happy! Don't you want me to be happy?

Review Responses:

Ish:  
Yes, I got a dun dun duhh! That's the kind of thing I was going for! Woo! I would tell you what happened to Rogue…but that would spoil the surprise…and then you'd want to kill certain characters before their appointed time…and without the bad/annoying people I would run out of story…so yeah, obviously I can't do that. But I'm glad you're intrigued. AND that you liked Emma's getting slammed…I had that written for weeks before I was able to use it…  
I'm glad that you saw that they were getting sweet to each other--I loved the whole 'Remy being unknowingly protective' thing too. No, I can't let things be easy/normal for them…so yes… Sigh, yes enter the 'playing' carousel…but I'm trying to go at it a little differently--at least later. Very curious to see what you think… hope you enjoy!  
Sotsumi cormbur:  
Thank you for your review! And your correction--I forgot the 'r,' eep! I fixed it though, right after your review. Thanks a bunch for telling me! Hope you liked this bit too.  
addtothenoise:  
Thanks for your review! Yes, things are sticky for our pair. How will they ever sort this out? Will addtothenoise ever smash through the evil case of writers block? Tune in next time for… LOL, anyways, I totally understand writers block, just want you to know that I'm hoping you smash through it soon. I definitely think the name's a good un', nicely done. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.  
enchantedlight:  
Thank you kindly for your review! Hope you enjoy this one too.  
Roguechere  
Yay! I'm glad you liked that part. I worked hard on it, and it felt real to me, so I was proud of it.  
I'm not sure what part of the story you're talking about when you say that he was upset…if you're talking about the whole 'take it off' thing during the fight, he was just playing it cool--he was actually thrilled about it and he just wanted to give her fair warning. I'm sorry that was confusing! No, in this story Remy's always been pleasantly surprised about Rogue's reaction to his eyes…it's a Thing.  
Oh, that is a good line. And then the way he laughs after it, and the way his wife just sort of nods and ignores him…yeah, good times, good times…  
Kit:  
Dang, man--you're a good guesser! But like the PR representative of some celebrity, I can neither confirm nor deny if your suspicions are correct, I will simply let the story speak for itself. (Don't want to spoil any surprise or nothin'…)  
Once again, you picked out all the stuff I worked hard at, I'm glad you appreciated it:0) LOL, and your thirdish person in the review caused me great joy, so thank you again for reviewing and I hope that you like this bit too!  
bored247 :  
See--more! I won't abandon it! LOL, thanks for the pressure, I work better under it… Hope you enjoyed this bit and that maybe it answers some of your questions.  
CloeyMarie:  
Thank you so much for your lovely review! LOL, better than chocolate--wow. Well, I'm glad that the story enhanced your chocolate experience or visa-versa. Hope that you liked this chapter too. Thanks again for the review!  
Cat2fat900:  
Dude, I just want to say that I so loved your review. I was having a hard time working up the motivation for this chapter, because--well--I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to happen in it. Then I would go and look at your review and it would make me happy and I'd be like, but I HAVE to update soon for Cat (btw, calling you Cat is OK with you, right? I noticed you signed CF so I was wondering if that was a subtle hint…)…So here ya go--not one of my best chapters but a chapter for you nonetheless.  
So, yeah, thanks for wanting to beat on Bella, 'cause she's icky and I'm glad you liked Kitty and thanks for pointing out that line! I'm glad I put it in there, I almost thought--overkill--but then I decided that I liked it so I didn't care.  
This isn't exactly Romy…sadly, we still have to wait for that…but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable silence, either, right? Romy is coming though, promise!  
Wrapped in banana foil  
Oh, Thank you, thank you very much! Don't worry, I think there are probably at least eight more chapters to go. Glad you liked the Gambit/Remy bit, and I'm very glad you're enjoying this story. Thank you so much for reviewing.  
Spicy Sweet  
LOL, thank you. Yah, Bella Donna--boo. I'm very glad that you loved this story. I hope you continue to.  
Chica De Los Ojos Cafe  
LOL, I'm not trying to confuse you! But I'm glad you're basking in the twists. :grin: Twists are fun, I like writing them. This is one of those "plot thickening" chapters, but I promise more twists in the future.  
gamro  
Yeah, I write long chapters :blush:. Just puttin' down what I see, ya know? Yes, glad you loved the Emma bashing! She quite deserved it. Hope you liked this bit too. Thanks for your review.  
azycat:  
Good, I want it to be addicting! Thank you for reviewing, keep it up! ;0)  
Lyrit Liltrick  
Indeed, there is a conspiracy afoot! (In fact: shush! There may be several!)  
Hey, I'm not sure what The Decameron was written in, though I know that Boccaccio was Italian so I'm guessing Latin…  
Yowsa, a Virgil course? Coolness. He writes good. ;0) Hope ya have fun.  
WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc:  
Thank you kindly, hope you enjoy this.


	7. Speaking with Wisdom

**Disclaimer**: I'm just borrowing them. Borrowing them, ya hear!

AN: This segment is a bit shorter and of slightly different format, but it's important and I like it. :0)

* * *

Chapter seven: Speaking with Wisdom 

The day dawned black for Rogue. She stumbled to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face, hoping to shock herself into some form of anything-other-than-how-she-was.

It figured--her plan had backfired completely. Apparently, laws don't take vacations. Her body had woken her after only a few hours' worth of sleep and it wouldn't allow her to fall back asleep. The clock read 7:45.

Her evening had been singularly unproductive. Bishop's files were of absolutely no help. All they had been good for instilling a reluctant respect in her for Gambit's skills. Rogue had been in this business for a long time, she recognized quality when she saw it. There had been a theft in Spain where Remy had to deal with elite ex-military security guards and a top of the line, truly impressive security system all in a two minute window. He had done it in a minute and forty-five seconds. Flawlessly. The only reason that they knew it was him was because he had left a playing card behind...

And lying in bed admiring Remy LeBeau's skills was not at all helpful.

And Rogue couldn't find any information connecting Remy to any of the mutants on FORCE or FORCE's watch list. There had to be one. But she couldn't find it. She needed Tessa. Or Kitty. But she couldn't have them. For all she knew, Tessa was in on "it" and Kitty...

_Damn it all ta hell._

Her cell phone rang. She checked it--the number came up as unlisted. With the technology on this phone, that could only be a few people.

"'ello?"

"Hey luv, 'ow are ya?"

Rogue sank onto the bed, holding the phone to her ear and her head in her other hand. "Like hell, Pete. Ya?"

A dry chuckle, "Haven't left the place for months."

A long silence.

"Ah'm so sorry, Pete."

"Like hell you are, girl. If you keep blaimin' yourself, I'll come across the Atlantic and kick your ass meself."

Now Rogue had to laugh. "Takes one ta know one, Pete."

"Don't I know it, luv," he didn't even bother to hide the sadness in his voice.

Rogue felt her heart constrict and hot tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "Ah'm sorry."

"Don't be. You did the necessary. I only wish you'd saved me some." The hardness in his tone was bracing.

Rogue snorted softly, "So do Ah. Would've like ta watch."

Another long silence.

"So d'ya wanna go get pissed together? Sure we won't be in the same country, but we can leave the phone on."

She sighed. "Ah wish Ah could, Pete. Ah'm on an op."

Work. Something they always could and could not talk about. As safe a topic as they could get.

"How's it going?"

"Smells worse than four day fish. It's not enough that Bishop is in charge of it, but there's just something in mah gut that tells me there's something off."

He was all business, instantly protective. "Ya make sure you listen to your gut. Did you pick anything up to confirm the feeling?"

"They're not tellin' me all the information. They won't even tell me what the objective is. And they put me on spy duty."

A long silence.

"That ain't good, luv. Did you talk to Danvers about it?"

"Tried. She's avoiding meh. Won't even let meh run over mah options with her. She's stickin' ta Bishop's story. They won't even let me talk ta anyone alone. Something's very wrong."

"Listen 'ere and listen good," he said. "If you need anything, _anything_, you call me, do you understand?"

"Yes suh, Mr. Wisdom, suh!"

"I'm not playing, Rogue. She would kill me if anything happened to you."

The tears were back. She was not going to do this. She _was not_. Pete had enough to deal with without her grief.

"If Ah need anything, Ah'll call," she promised softly.

That silence again.

"Can Ah call any time?" Rogue teased in a weak attempt at a joke. She knew how much Pete hated being woken up.

He growled over the phone. "If you're prepared to deal with the consequences, mate."

Rogue sighed. "Ah've gotta go. Ah need at work out how Ah'm gonna accidentally bump into the target today."

"Accidentally bump into the target?"

She sighed again, embarrassed and irritated. But Pete would probably be amused…anything to help him out. "Yeah, they have me kinda _datin' _him."

He laughed like she hadn't heard him laugh in months. That was a good sign. "Who's bright idea was that?"

"Emma's."

"Figures," he snorted.

Then a genuine smile twitched over her lips, "Yeah, but ya know what, Pete? It was his idea first. Even after he knew about mah mutation, he still wanted me."

A different kind of silence.

"You like him, Rogue?"

"Ah…how can Ah, Pete? He's the target."

"Of an op that smells worse than four day old fish," he reminded her.

"True."

"So do ya like him?" He was impatient. Not like Kitty. He wouldn't wait for her to spill her guts. The very fact that he was asking twice was something rare.

"Ah…Ah don't know."

"That doesn't sound like the Rogue I know. The Rogue I know always knows exactly what she thinks of people."

She blew out an exasperated breath, "The Rogue ya know has never met anyone as frustratin' and confusin' as this Cajun."

A short pause, then "What's so frustrating about 'im?"

Rogue lay back on the bed. It was weird talking to Pete about this, today of all days. But she figured he was doing it for Kitty as much as he was doing it for her. Besides, interest wasn't wallowing, and she would do anything to help him out.

"Couple of things, really. For one, he keeps touching me. He's not scared of mah mutation at all, and he makes his interest _very_ clear. For another, he's just so damn sure Ah want him. Not touch, but him. He's just so frickin' arrogant. But…"

"But?"

"He's got reason ta be. He's really good at what he does, Pete. Ah've got to respect him for that. Fights almost as good as me, too. Maybe better, if Ah was completely honest."

"You've fought the bloke?" he exclaimed. "I thought you were supposed to be dating 'im?"

She snorted. "Our first 'date,' he invited me to work out some frustrations on him. In a combat ring."

"I don't know if I like the man, or if I think he's bloody insane."

"Now ya know how Ah feel." _Besides, his eyes turn mah knees ta water._

"And you're attracted to 'im?"

Rogue groaned, "Like a magnet, Pete. But ain't nothing gonna happen. Ah'm no one's _conquest_, an' mah gut tells meh that's all this is. B'sides, did we forget the fact that he's the frickin' _target_?"

"'We' did not forget that 'e was the target. But this is the first time I've ever known you to be confused about a person. That 'as to mean something, "

"Yeah, it means Ah'm losin' mah mind."

"Ya lost your mind ages ago, girl."

He was mocking her like he used to. That was a _very_ good sign.

"So ya don't know if ya like 'im, and 'e's your target. What are you gonna do about it?"

Rogue sighed. "Ah haven't thought that far about it yet. When Ah'm with him, Ah'm not strategizing. He makes me react. It's all Ah can do to stay one step ahead of him."

"That's not like you, Rogue. Must be serious. Think about it: what are you going to do."

_What _am_ Ah gonna do? Ah hafta do something… Ah can't just let mahself be used._

"Ah guess…Ah'll find out more information an' make mah decision then."

"Ah, that's the Rogue I know and tolerate."

"Aw, Petey, ya're so sweet ya're givin' me cavities."

"So why don't ya start by giving me the bloke's name so I can get me mates workin' on it?"

"Was all this just ta get the name of the man aftah me, Mr. Wisdom?"

"Ya think I'm gonna go big brother on ya, luv?"

"Something like that, yeah."

"Well, in this case my intentions 'appen to be perfectly 'onorable. I just want to 'elp out a friend."

He sounded so devious. Gawd, it was good to hear him speak with some life in his voice.

"Remy LeBeau."

A beat of silence.

"Ya recognize the name, sugah?"

A dry chuckle. "Well, let's just say that I can understand your confusion a lot better now. We've run into each other a couple of times."

Rogue took a moment to digest that.

"And?"

"And what, Rogue?"

"And what do ya think about him, ya bloody Brit!"

"Rogue! Language!"

He was laughing at her. That was a very good sign. And if she wasn't so annoyed with him, she'd be grinning.

"Ya should talk, potty mouth."

"Potty--"

"Ah mean it, Brit. Talk. What do ya know about him?"

The pause of a heartbeat. "I know 'e's a 'eartbreaker who's used to getting anything 'e wants. I know 'e's a damn fine thief with a quirky sense of 'onor. I know that 'e's fiercely loyal to 'is friends and family. I know that your pushing 'im away has probably been good for 'im."

Rogue was impressed. "Don't know much about him, do ya?"

She could almost see his shrug. "I also know that if 'e hurts you, I'll rip out 'is 'eart. That 'elp?"

Rogue couldn't help but laugh. "Tremendously, Pete."

He sobered, "Listen, Rogue. I don't know why 'e's the target. 'e's been involved in some deep stuff, but not for a while. Make sure you find out _all_ the information before you make a decision, OK?"

Rogue stilled. "Ya rootin' for him, Wisdom?"

"I'm rootin' for you, Rogue. I want you to know what Kitty and I 'ad. Love 'urts like the devil when you lose it," his voice cracked, "but crawling out of the pain is worth it. My time with Kitty is gonna get me through this time. I know it. Because I 'ad something that precious in my life once, I'm gonna be able to keep on living. You need that, Rogue. If LeBeau can give that to you, I want you to have it."

A very long silence. Rogue was stunned. Despite--or perhaps because--of how well she knew Peter Wisdom, Rogue _never_ thought she'd hear him saying anything like that.

_He must have loved her so much. _

Rogue felt an iron hand clutch her heart and squeeze.

"Rogue, ya there?"

"Ah'm here, Pete. And Ah wish she was too." The words were out before she could think.

His voice clenched, he said "Me too, luv. Me too."

A short silence.

"I'll 'ave the boys put their ears to the ground."

"Thanks, Pete."

"I'm gonna go get pissed now. Call me if ya need anything."

"Knock yaself out."

"Oh, I intend to."

Click.

Still stiff and shocked, Rogue flipped her cell phone closed. She got up and walked over to the bathroom, clenching the sides of the sink so hard that her fingertips and knuckles turned white. She stared in the mirror a long time.

Then she let out a deep hard breath.

_He wants me to know love like he had, even though he's hurting like this now. He thinks it's worth it. And he's looking out for me because Kitty would have wanted it._

Staring at her pale reflection in the mirror, Rogue took in the dark circles under her eyes.

Some of the ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­grout on the side of the sink crumbled off because of her grip. It hit the floor and shattered.

_Ah miss ya, Kit. _

Rogue decided to go find a bar and get completely smashed.

* * *

AN: Sigh. I've had this written for _ages_. You have no idea how good--yet weird--it feels to post this. So yes. Kitty's dead. Will you ever find out why or how? Yes. "Today" is the three month anniversary of her death, and that's why Pete called Rogue and why Rogue wanted to avoid the day. I know, no Remy in this one. And I've been trying so hard to put them together in every chapter. But I think hearing her talk about him to Pete was a worthy substitute. Right?  
Now, I know that Pete's at least five hours ahead of Rogue at this time, so technically he should be well on his way to being drunk already. But let's just say that he was out drinking last night too and slept in late, huh?  
And for the record, I don't recommend drinking as a way to deal with problems. You just wake up with a hangover and all of the crap that you're running away from is still there staring you in the face. In this case, though, Rogue just wants to forget everything for a little while, she knows that she'll have to face stuff when she sobers up, but right now everything is going to hell in a hand basket (which is such a strange phrase) and she just wants to knock herself out for a while.  
I extend humble thanks to melissaryxy1 for introducing me the character of Peter Wisdom through her story "Gaining Wisdom." I think he's Kitty's Remy.  
I don't really have a favorite line in this one, but I do like the chapter title a whole lot! Grins. (Though now that I think about it, I kinda like: And lying in bed admiring Remy LeBeau's skills was not at all helpful.) 

So, if you read and enjoy, _please_ review and let me know! It makes it more fun to write!

Review Responses:

Kitrazzle Fayn, Lyrit Liltrick, and Chica--I missed your reviews!

addtothenoise  
All will be revealed, I promise! …Eventually… lol. And what's this I see? An update on one of my favorite stories? Go you!  
Eileen B.  
Yay! I'm so glad you're sticking around. Stupid fan-fiction elves--I swear the steal my reviews after I post them on stories too…  
Yes, Emma is evil and so she flaunts, but wasn't Remy cute to get upset about it? No, there's no way that Bella deserved her Cajun lover. Glad you liked his conversation with Henri, I wasn't quite sure if I was writing them right (do you know if Emil and Lapin are the same person? 'cause I'm not sure anymore…). But yeah, older brothers, sticking their noses in their younger brother's business…fun times. No, you didn't forget about what happened to Kitty, you just knew that she was missing…and now you know why. LOL, yes, I had fun having Rogue slam Emma and I'm glad that you enjoyed it too. (No, I don't much like her either. But maybe you could tell?)  
I haven't seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and I want to, but I'm not going to be able to until it comes out on video because I promised a friend I would watch it with her and she's all busy and whatnot, so…but I'm guessing that comparison's a good thing?  
Not having a sister, I can't really relate, but yeah, it's gotta stink for Rogue. I mean, you would think that life would just give her a break. Oh wait, I'm the one writing this aren't I? Man, I'm mean...  
Heh, I'm glad you loved that line. It makes me laugh.  
Enchanted light:  
Thank you! Here's an update--short but sweet (hopefully).  
bored247  
Soon the time will come when I can't hide anything anymore. Then I just hope that the answers are worth the questions. Hope you enjoyed!  
Roguechere  
LOL, happy to oblige. And I'm glad you liked that line! It came out completely spur of the moment, and you may certainly use it--just please let me know so I can see it being put to good use! And :blush: thank you for your kind complement.  
ishandahalf  
:Grin: Thank you! Glad you're loving it. Heh, I had the beach scene in my head for ages and I was never entirely sure how it was gonna go--I thought they were gonna be all nasty to each other, but they surprised me.  
So, yeah, Remy was upset, but not enough to get out of the game. Cause he was playing her like he plays every other 'conquest,' the only thing that really ticks him off is that somehow his heart was starting to look at Rogue with-gasp-respect and admiration, and not just for her obvious "assets." So at first he was all like 'I'm gonna break your heart on purpose" and then he decided that he was just going to keep his heart out of the game, but win her over anyway. He knows that when he leaves after doing that, he'll have broken it anyway, but he's just not doing it _on purpose._ Yeah, right. Whatever helps you sleep at night, bud. And you're right--it's become a bit more than a challenge for him--he's forming an attachment. He even half-way wanted to protect her from his own revenge. (Can we get an 'aww how sweet and twisted?')  
Yes, so keep hoping. We're getting to the good stuff now. I think you're really gonna like these next few chapters…  
Realtfarraige  
Oh, thank you so much and welcome! I'm glad that you're enjoying it. Yeah, a kinetic energy force field, not bad for a made up story, huh? If only Rogue knew… :grins innocently: I hope you enjoyed this bit as well, sad as it is.  
Rogue-Slayer13  
Thank you! Hope you enjoy.  
Fingers905  
:Grin: Thank you for your review!  
Cat:  
LOL, why are you the only one who picked up on STRIP? I nearly died with cheesiness as I wrote that, man my awful sense of humor deserves some recognition, don't it? Lol, anyways, to clear up that touch thing: YOU know and I know and REMY knows that he touched her that night that they fought. But Rogue doesn't know, and Remy doesn't know how it happened. For all he knows, her powers don't work when she's unconscious. Then when Bishop calls and tells Rogue to absorb Remy, she knows that she has to take steps. She's not about to just hand over whatever information they wanted without knowing what they it for. She needs more time to figure out what's going on and what she's going to do. So she made up the whole "I can't absorb him" thing in order to buy herself more time.  
Glad you liked that Murphy's Law bit, I'm sorry it has a soft spot for you. Stupid law.  
Yes, I read your FIRES! Understandable and hilarious. Is this soon enough of an update to avoid an 'or else'?  
Spicy Sweet  
:Grin: My lips are sealed. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And answers are coming, soon, I promise. Thanks for reviewing and letting me know what you think!  
wrapped in banana foil  
Really you think so? Wow, cool. I'm really glad you liked it. Just a little more build up in this chapter before things come to a breaking point…  
rubic-cube  
Well, I'm glad that fate brought you my way! Grin! I'm very glad you're enjoying it, and hope that you continue to. Don't worry about Remy winning something against Rogue, I have a feeling that things will take care of themselves…after all, it's the biggest win of all if he can manage to get _her_, yes?

Completely unrelated to story note:  
I know that FF is a place where we can go and forget the outside world, but since I'm posting this today, I can't help but want to express my sincere sympathy and prayers for those affected by the attacks in London. May God have mercy on you and us.


	8. Frankly, my dear

**Disclaimer**: This is a generic disclaimer. It means that I do not claim to possess or make money off of any of the following. And that I'm too tired to come up with something creative to say.

Author pre-note: For the next few chapters, I'm using a slightly different technique in matters of persepective. Hope that it doesn't confuse anyone.

* * *

Chapter eight: "Frankly, my dear" 

Rogue was so determined to go get drunk that she barely gave the bar she entered a cursory glance. She just checked enough to see that there was no immediate danger, and marched up to the bar. Otherwise instead of just ignoring the poker table in the smokey, dimly lit far left corner, she would have noticed a very familiar man in a trench coat look up and slide further into the shadows at her arrival. But as it was, she was set on getting drunk.

Remy watched her with narrowed eyes from across the room. He folded his hand--a much more interesting game had just opened. There was something different about her…she seemed distracted, detached from her surroundings, and utterly focused on the liquor in front of her. He extended his empathy towards her and grief and rage slapped him in the face.

_What's dis? _He knew that he shouldn't go over there. She was dangerous; out to get his family. He shouldn't care. She was only trying to play with him, but he was the better player…

_Why is she so sad? _It was useless. She was the box to his Pandora and he just couldn't stay away.

"One Shirley Temple and a bottle of whiskey. Keep it coming until Ah'm passed out on the floor," Rogue instructed the barkeeper.

The bartender opened his mouth to comment on her strange order, and maybe say something about how it was too early in the morning to be drinking. Then Rogue glared at him and he felt five years of his life slip away. He shut his mouth and moved as quickly as he could to fill her order.

"To ya, Kit," she raised her Shirley Temple in honor of the long-standing joke that that was all the liquor Kitty could handle.

Rogue sniffed back a sudden memory. Of course, after Kitty had met Pete, Wisdom had done all that was in his power to change that. But they had still--

_Stop thinking._

She tossed the sugary concoction down like it was some bitter liquid.

Rogue's hand trembled slightly as she poured herself a shot of whiskey. She knew that her emotions were dangerously close to being out of control.

_Maybe Ah should take this back ta mah room, _a flitting rational thought suggested.

But she didn't want to go back to her room. She would have time to think between here and there, and she didn't want to think.

Rogue raised her glass and was about to down it in one gulp when a partially gloved hand reached out from behind her and grabbed the glass.

"Feel like sharin', _petite_?" a husky voice asked in her ear.

Rogue spun around on the stool to find herself staring face to face with the absolute _last_ person that she wanted to see. "No. Get your own and leave me alone."

She tightened her grip on her glass and glared at him. _Go away, swamp boy. Ah can't deal with ya and all the problems ya bring up now. An' Ah'm in no mood ta play games._

"Remy'd rather share," he said smoothly and managed to wrestle the glass from her grip.

Part of her was impressed that he had managed it without causing the glass to shatter. Another, larger part of her wanted to take her whiskey bottle and smash it over his head.

And she would have, if he wasn't the frickin' target.

So she narrowed her eyes and watched as he took a dainty sip from the shot glass. "Don't ya mean steal?"

He was wearing sunglasses, but she swore she saw a flare of red as he jutted his chin towards her bottle. "Looks like y've got plenty t' spare."

"Ah am in no mood for this, Cajun," Rogue warned. "Ah came here ta get drunk. Don't get in mah way."

"Wouldn't dream of it, _petite_," he said, taking another small sip of her whiskey. "But it's a little early in de day for dis, neh? What brings ya t' de bar?"

Rogue felt her last strand of patience snap. "Last time Ah checked, drinkin' is what ya do at a bar. Coincidentally, the last time Ah checked, ya weren't mah father. So give meh back mah whiskey and go away!"

"Remy was here first. Ya wanna get drunk by yaself, do it somewhere else."

"Fine, Ah will!" Rogue threw down enough money to pay for her drink and got off the stool, brushing against him in her haste to get away.

She felt frustrated tears stinging her eyes. Remy LeBeau was the last thing she needed today. And damnit, he was following her outside.

Rogue picked up her pace.

He continued following her.

She grew angrier. Rogue slipped inside an abandoned alley. Surprise, surprise, the swamp rat was right behind her.

She whirled to confront him, "What do you want, Swamp Rat?"

"Remy would t'ink dat be obvious," and he slid off his sunglasses so she could see his gaze travel up her body.

"Bite me, Cajun!" she snapped.

"Anywhere ya want, _chere_," he said stepping even closer to her.

Rogue gave a low angry laugh, "Ah swear, ya could make even bullshit sound perverted. Oh wait, is that because most of what ya say _is_ bullshit?"

He staggered back, put a hand over his heart, and purred, "You wound Remy, _chere_."

"Obviously not enough."

Remy was confused. He hadn't expected her to actually leave. After all, wasn't he her assignment? She should have tried to turn the situation around and interrogated _him_. Not run away. That wasn't part of the game.

And all of her body language confirmed his empathy telling him that everything she was doing was completely sincere. She wanted him to leave her alone. _Why?_

His hand dropped and he straightened up, suddenly serious, "Is dat what y' want, _chere_? Y' want to hurt me?"

Rogue wanted to shout back _Yes! Now go away! _But she knew that wasn't true--current homicidal urges aside, she didn't want to hurt him, not really. And the op called for the exact opposite. She didn't know what she wanted from him.

So all she did was swallow. _Please, Ah can't do this now…just go._

Remy took satisfaction from her sudden silence and stepped close to her again, "What do ya want, _chere_?"

Stirred to life again by his closeness, Rogue looked him straight in the eyes and said "Ah want ya ta go away and leave me alone."

Remy felt her words like a blow. He knew that she meant it. _Dis doesn't make any sense. If she's out t' take down de Guild…why would she want me to go away? _

Worse. He didn't want her to want him to go away. Something in him told him that he was loosing her and he was almost desperate to stop that from happening.

_Time t' put de cards on de table._

Letting out a deep chuckle, he stepped even closer--they were only a breath apart.

Rogue couldn't look away from his eyes, she couldn't step back, it was all she could do to keep breathing.

"Y' don't want me ta go, _chere_."

"How do ya know?"

He smirked again, but it wasn't a kind smirk. "Because if Remy left y' alone, den what would ya have t' report t' your superiors?"

Rogue was sure the world skidded to an abrupt stop. _What? How can he know?_ _What is he doing?_

Remy searched her eyes, waiting for her to deny it, to admit it, but Rogue was in shock. So he spoke again, "After all, FORCE agents, dey got a reputation t' uphold, _non_?"

The silence between them was so loud, it almost drowned out the fast beating of Rogue's heart. She knew that she should step away, that she should begin to defend herself, that she should attack him, that she should deny the accusation. But he was standing there, confronting her with the truth--angry, yet somehow understanding. And some hard part of her shattered as she looked at him, and something new in her heart started to breathe. She didn't want to lie to him anymore.

So all she did was swallow and drop her gaze.

"Ah never asked ya ta tell me anythin'," she whispered.

"Yet," he said. His voice was hard and sharp, like a gun shot.

"Yet," Rogue admitted, her voice cracking. She still didn't look at him.

"And y' never asked for Remy's company either," he said. "I knew what I was getting into," he added more softly.

This sparked enough indignation to make her look up, "If ya knew, then why do ya keep chasing me?"

"Remy done told ya, _chere_," he said with a faint smile, his eyes warming slightly. "He does crazy t'ings ta be wit' _une belle femme_. And ya be de most _belle femme_ he's ever seen."

Rogue blinked. And blinked again. _Why that scoundrel. He told meh he knew ta make a play for me! _She almost felt like laughing.

"If ya think this is gonna get ya me, ya are sadly mistaken!" _It ain't over yet, Swamp rat._

Remy chuckled again, "He wouldn't have it any ot'er way, _belle_." He traced one gloved finger over the curve of her cheek and under her jaw, lifting her face to his. "Remy see ya tomorrow, _chere_."

And with that, he removed his hand and stepped away.

_He said he would see meh tomorrow. _He really wasn't going to give up on her. That was enough to stir her.

"Remy, wait!" Rogue suddenly realized that she didn't want to lose--whatever it was between them. She didn't want him to think that she had just been using him.

She felt, more than heard him pause behind her.

Rogue turned to face him, desperate for him to understand, "Yes, Ah work for FORCE. But if all Ah wanted out of ya was information, then Ah would have absorbed it out of ya as soon as Ah knew ya were the target."

Remy raised an eyebrow, "As soon as y' knew?"

Rogue swallowed and offered a half shrug. "Those first two times we met, we just…met. It was before Ah had gotten to the briefing."

"An' was it your assignment to get close t' me?"

Despite herself, Rogue laughed, "Nah, it was Emma's. Remember, the blonde? She's a telepath. But she couldn't get past your shields an' ya didn't seem interested in her. So she told our boss that ya had it bad for me, and despite mah protests, gettin' information from ya about the Thieves Guild became mah job."

"So why didn't y' just absorb it out of Remy like ya said?" To say that he was skeptical was an understatement, but everything she was saying made so much sense. Remy found himself afraid to almost hope… Maybe the woman who had so fascinated him was real. _But she's still workin' for FORCE, don' forget. She's still out t' take everyone ya love down._

"Couple of reasons, but mostly because there's something that felt wrong about this operation. At first, Ah told them that we didn't just want information we wanted an 'in' to the Guild an' if Ah just absorbed ya an' disappeared we'd lose that valuable chance. Ya'd suspect me an' anyone else who crossed your path for the next six months. Then when they suddenly didn't _want_ the in anymore, they just wanted the info, it felt even more wrong. That's just not the way mah boss runs an op. So Ah made up some crap story about how your kinetic charging powers make some sort of force-field around your body so that Ah couldn't actually touch ya. Ah needed more time ta figure out what ta do…" Rogue trailed off. An idea was forming, so crazy that it just might work. After all, he knew anyway, maybe he could help her...he had a vested interest in this too and she knew he was more than capable…

Remy stood there, even more stunned than if an anvil had just fallen on his head. He remembered what had happened when he had accidentally brushed his fingers against her forehead while she was out. "Ya t'ink dat's true, _chere_?"

Rogue shrugged, not noticing his stillness. "Hell if Ah know. But it fooled our resident medical an' science expert, so it did it's job. But ya're--"

To stop himself from blurting _Would you like to find out_, he spoke an accusation instead, "How'd ya get dis past all 'paths ya work with?"

Rogue exhaled and explained slowly, "Ah have real strong mental shields. An if Ah keep them up and let some of the psyches out, Ah'm just static ta them. They can't get anything out of me that way. But that's not what Ah'm tryin' ta tell ya."

Remy stepped very close to her and spoke huskily, "An' what are y' tryin' t' tell Remy, _cherie_?"

Rogue rolled her eyes and fought back the urge to punch him in frustration. After all, he had even less of a reason to trust her now that she had admitted she had lied to her closest friends and co-workers. But something was wrong, it had to do with her friends and his guild and as much as she hated it she needed him to help figure out what that was. "Ah'm tryin' ta tell ya that something's wrong with this assignment. Ah don't know why y'all are suddenly so important. They're not telling' me everything an' Ah refuse to work without all the information. We need ta find out what they're hiding. That is, if ya'll help me."

Remy blinked and stepped back from her in surprise. "What do y' mean 'why are y'all are suddenly so important.' Didn't ya come t' town t' take down de Guild? What better way den t' go through me?"

Rogue shook her head, amusement clear in her eyes. "Ya really are full of yourself, ain't ya? Listen up, swamp rat. Ah'm sure that if a person was goin' ta try an' take down the Thieves Guild that going through ya would be very effective--if they could manage it. But takin' down a bunch o' thieves ain't exactly on mah 'to-do' list."

Remy didn't think he could get any more shocked. "What d'ya mean?"

Rogue sighed and glanced down for a moment before she looked up at him and said, "Last month Ah took down four serial rapists, two minor terrorist cells, and a man who was beating the crap out of his family. Ah was on vacation. When Ah'm workin', we deal with the mutant versions of that kinda scum. So ya take fancy artwork and rearrange the ownership a bit. So ya take precious gems from someone and sell it to the highest bidder. It's just paint chips and shiny rocks goin' from one rich person to another. Y'all are just rearranging the placement of rich people's toys. Frankly, Ah don't give a damn."

Remy blinked. He never, _ever_ thought he would have heard her say that. He was obviously wrong when he had thought he couldn't get any more stunned. His brain, his body, his blood felt like it was incased in ice. He couldn't move, he couldn't think.

_Do something._

Anger. Anger could get him out of this state. So he shook himself and was suddenly squeezing Rogue's shoulders hard, "Y' tellin' me de truth?"

With an ease that he really should have expected, Rogue broke his hold and stepped away. "Yes, Ah am. An' if ya were serious about seein' me tomorrow, Ah'll tell ya why then."

She was actually _offering _him information? This day could not get any more turned around, or in another minute she'd be throwing herself in his arms and he'd be kissing her and kissing her…

The thought caused a smirk, "Remy's always serious, _chere_. Especially about seeing a _belle femme_."

Rogue rolled her eyes. Apparently the universe hadn't completely reversed its equilibrium. She still ignored his charm. Despite his disappointment, Remy felt strangely relieved about that.

He stepped close to her again, "Remy's just wondering…why de wait?" He trailed a gloved finger down her cheek.

She slapped it away before he could caress her jaw line. "Ah need time ta decide how much ta tell ya."

_Fair enough, _Remy thought. "Bon. Den Remy will see y' tomorrow."

"We'd better make it early," she said, biting her lip in thought.

Though he had seen her do this before, he had always gotten the idea that she was doing it deliberately. This time she did it in distraction and as he watched the soft skin stretch under the torture, it was all he could do not to shove her against the wall and test out that little 'kinetic energy force field' theory of hers. He almost could _feel _the energy over his body and he was sure that his eyes were glowing again…

_She said she didn't give a damn. _He was still in shock over it. Was he glad, insulted, relieved? _Wait a minute. Relieved? Damnit, LeBeau, get a hold of yourself! She's just _une fille.

_But she said…_

"Can ya meet me tomorrow at 7:30?"

Remy blinked. "In de mornin'?"

"Yeah."

"Is de sun even up den?"

Rogue snorted. "Yeah, it comes up around 6:45 now."

"_Merde_," Remy swore. "Dat's early."

"Aww, poor lil' swamp rat," Rogue cooed. "Don't feel bad swampy, Ah'll have been up since 4:30 most likely."

"Maybe we'll be able t' comfort each ot'er about de injustice den, _non_?" he ran his hands down her arms.

"Dream on, swamp rat," she said.

"Don' worry, _chere_. Remy will," he smirked.

She flushed. "Idiot."

"Y' de one dat gets up at 4:30 in de mornin'," he pointed out.

"The glamorous life of an FORCE agent," she said dryly. "Meet me on the roof of the Starbucks next ta mah hotel."

He raised his eyebrows. "On de roof of a Starbucks?"

Rogue shrugged, "There's a hidden alcove up there, no one will see us and no one'd suspect it. It's easy to sweep for bugs. Plus, they'll be coffee."

He smirked, "Remy likes the way _ma cherie's _mind works."

Rogue sighed, "Ah ain't _your_ anythin', Cajun."

He picked up her hand and pressed the gloved fingers to his lips.

"Maybe not yet. But dis t'ief always gets what he wants."

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

AN: Well, folks, I'm a sick as a dog (which is weird phrase.) I--literally--sound like I have a frog in my throat. I didn't even know that that was _possible_. But, hey, it worked out for y'all, 'cause I wasn't planning on working on this chapter out til at least Monday. Instead, I worked hard on it today and put it out, and I'm hoping for lots of reviews that will make me happy while I lie in bed and drink tea and use tissues.  
I'm sure that's more than you wanted to know.  
ANYWAY, I _finally_ posted this chapter. Do you want to know why that's a big deal? I'll tell you--this chapter is the reason that this story exists. Seriously. I had just finished reading some fic--I don't remember which one--and was thinking about Rogue and Gambit when suddenly the conversation from "Bite meh" to "…report to your superiors" popped in my head. (Just the dialogue, I added in the other bits today.) I decided that I liked it, wrote it down and played with it a little bit more…and then I started thinking, _under what circumstances could this conversation take place? _And ta-da! This story!  
So, some answers to some questions is forecasted in the next few chapters… I realize that these past two have been shorter than normal, but don't worry--the upcoming ones make up for it.  
You want me to pick a favorite line? Out of all that? I dunno if I can…I like the whiskey bottle bit and the Pandora's box analogy because in the myth it let out a whole lot of trouble and a little bit of hope…but there's also so much of their exchange that I like…Again, I love the title, because they were being frank with each other and I got to use, nearly, that famous line…  
Also, in case anyone wants to know Realtfarraige found the comic with the actual kinetic energy force field--it's Wolverine and Gambit no.86 from 4th of June 2003. If you want to know more about the details check out his/her review of the previous chapter.  
So review and bring me cheer in my sickness. (yes, I threw in the pity-me. If you've got it…) 

Review Responses:  
Cat--where were you? Taking over the world with Ralph is no excuse… (dodges flamethrower)

addtothenoise  
So, here's another update. Does it inspire you to write more? That would be fun… Anyway, what do you think?  
Roguechere  
Well, when I was a kid I used to have fun wandering around spinning in circles instead of walking, does that answer your question? ;0)  
And true, I didn't fill you in on a lot, but see--look--answers are coming! The question is: are you ready? And are they good? (Gosh, I hope they'll be good…) So--what did you think of this last twist?  
heartsyhawk  
Thanks for your review! Yes, you'll find out about Kitty in the next couple of chapters. Glad you liked the chap, hope you enjoyed this one too.  
WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc  
And a continuation it is! Hope you liked it.  
Ishandahalf  
LOL, I _thought_ you'd like that chapter. I'm glad you did--and that you thought his advice wasn't too out of character…because, well, someone needed to give it to her and I thought that his grief over Kitty would actually give it some weight, otherwise she'd likely run away from Remy forever and we just can't have that, can we?  
I don't know if I'll put him in again, it may just be a cameo, but I haven't worked out the end completely so, who knows?  
Heh heh, your guessing about the bar made me laugh. For the longest time after the chapter I had a note posted to myself: But she won't be able to get drunk because Remy will be there! So, no alcohol induced wall bashing, but this worked too, yes?  
Ooo, gold stars! Shiney. Thanks! (Grin!)  
gamro  
Glad you're enjoying it! Pete and Kitty were just bf/gf, but it was very serious. Good question. Pete's probably kicking himself now that he never upped the ante, but I don't know if anything other than a near-death experience would have made him do it…  
Lyrit Liltrick  
lol, now you got the double mint gum song in my head. You should be ashamed. ;)  
Yeah, I love Kitty too. But this wouldn't be effective if a character we _didn't _like had died. So, yeah, wouldn't have done it if I didn't have to.  
Think you're right about Kitty's trend…  
Hope real life gives you a break enough to read and (hopefully) enjoy.  
Eileen B  
I love your reviews, they make me laugh. F4, eh? Good?  
I apologize for subjecting you to a character that you can't stand. He was, however, the only one that for could, for my purposes, make this work--I needed someone who's advice on giving love a chance Rogue would take seriously. And, in my little world, she's taking his seriously because she knows how much pain he's lived through. But I'm glad that my version of Wisdom didn't make you wish for his spontaneous combustion.  
Talk about pouting… Dude, I do not have Remy dating Kitty or Rogue dating the devil…or Joseph…or trapped in a necklace…or DATING THE DEVIL. In all honesty, though, I hated to kill Kitty. But she had to die. So she's dead. And if you're upset that she's dead--good, that means my evil author scheme worked. (Ducks the 'shoot the callous author' calls). LOL, but you know what I mean… :mutters: dating the devil…  
Was a little confused about the emphasis on 'shockingly' in your review…not sure what you meant by that… :-/  
I promise you a major down pouring of Romy in…well, the next few chapters. ;) So keep on reading! Please:0)  
Fingers905  
Hey, thanks for the Review! Pete Wisdom pulled a Jean Grey and is only known by his name.  
toxic-touch-727  
Yes, there will be no actual liking of Emma taking place in this fic. I'm glad that you're enjoying it, it is primarily Romance with some mystery/suspense, isn't it? Maybe I should switch the second genre…Wow, I kept you up til 4am? It's flattered, I am. Thank you, kindly. I hope that my Hellfire doesn't disappoint you, it's more of a subplot than anything…  
STRIP--yeah, the government has acronyms for everything…  
So, I'm SO glad you liked it and thanks for reviewing and please do stop by again!  
Spicy Sweet  
I hope this chapter cleared up that 'touch' thing…if not check my response to Cat on the previous chapter, that should help! J No, feel free to ramble any time. Good question--in my story, Rogue hasn't been in any other relationship. The circumstances in her life haven't really allowed it, and she won't let herself get close to anyone. So, yeah, this is all very new to her. Thanks for reviewing, hope you enjoyed.  
Thanagarian Angel  
Thanks a lot! I'm really glad that you enjoy it. I hope it holds up after I start giving explanations.  
Kitrazzle Fayn  
Of course I missed you, I love your reviews!  
I, also, have never seen Mister Wisdom in anything but fan fiction, but he seemed appropriate. Yes, Rogue needs a big brother in her life, and since I have no Logan…Glad you approved. Again, I can not confirm or deny your guesses, but rest assured that nothing would stop Rogue from killing Kitty's murderer.  
I'll probably contact you about those Ocs for Stolen Hearts, 'cause I need a few more people for that story and yeah…  
enchantedlight  
Thank you! Glad you liked it. Ta-da! An update!  
bored247  
Very much so.  
Yeah, so explanations are coming. I know, I keep saying that, but they really are, I swear.  
Chained2aMask  
Really? Cool! (Grins) Thanks, I'm really glad you like it! Hope that you find the rest of it good as well!  
warpped in banana foil  
I don't know if we're gonna get to meet Pete or not, we'll see…honestly, I never thought about it before, but it might just work…I dunno, we'll see.  
Lizbeth, I'm so sorry for your friend, that's so hard. I'm sorry if this hurt, and happy if it helped you at all…to the extent anything can help… :(  
So here's an update--the pivotal point, everything changes…hope it worked for you. Take care.  
Realtfarraige  
How cool are you that you found the actual comic with the kiss! You _rock_! That's great, thanks so much!  
Yeah, stinks that Kitty died, but it was necessary. Glad you liked the big brother routine, those are fun. And _someone_ needs to threaten Remy. Hopefully that little conversation will help Rogue admit things, at least to herself…  
Umm, what's "slagging" mean?  
So glad that you enjoyed it, hope you liked this one too!  
Kouchou no Kouken  
I'm sorry that you weren't in a more reviewing mood. You're a very thorough reviewer and you bring out insightful points, and I would be very interested in hearing what you have to say. I'm glad that you found your way over to this story, since Stolen Hearts is currently sitting on a shelf somewhere while I try to decide if I should call Rogue Anna or Marie or Anna Marie (Currently leaning towards Marie, but we'll see) and address some more casting problems.  
While it's true that I could have _technically_ attached the previous chapter onto this one and just done a scene change, then I couldn't have called the last chapter Speaking with Wisdom, which was just so much fun for me. :0)  
To address your points:  
Yes, I understand your skepticism with Lapin being able to uncode Sage's work. But genius isn't restricted to mutant genes and training and thought patterns has a whole lot to do with his ability to do it. In fact, it's the very beauty and symmetry of Sage's work that ends up helping him--he finds the pattern and pulls, and like a loose thread in a tapestry out comes the encryption. So I've got no problem with him unraveling what was--for Sage--a very standard encryption. I do continue to question whether or not he'd be able to do it in such a short amount of time. But for the sake of necessity I'm ignoring that question very loudly. ;0)  
Yeah, I know Remy's not an empath, and I almost left that ability out…but, everyone's doing it… lol. Thanks for telling me, though, 'cause if I hadn't looked him up I would have been very confused from all the fanfics I've read.  
I'm using Microsoft works, and frankly, I hate it. I have no idea how to incorporate accent marks unless they're copied and pasted. I was italicizing the French words initially, but then I realized that I was using italics for thoughts, flashbacks, emphasis…and decided that something had to go.  
What does "E.V.A.N. B." stand for? (And long reviews are fun!)  
Thanks again for your review, I'm glad you're--I take it that you are--enjoying the story. I hope that you continue to do so.


	9. Why She Doesn't Give a Damn

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Theirs.

/_Remember, this means flashback/_

* * *

Chapter nine: Why She Doesn't Give a Damn 

Rogue saw him as soon as she climbed to the roof. He was sitting down in the alcove, one long leg stretched out, the other propped in a triangle. He was leaning his elbow on his knee, holding a cigarette to his mouth. His flickering eyes cut to her as she ascended, matching the glow of his cigarette, then went back to staring straight ahead. He looked good enough to eat.

_This isn't gonna be easy, _she thought._ But then, what is?_

She crouched down low, taking out her cell phone and using it to scan for bugs as she approached him. The area came up clean.

"Hey," she said softly.

He grunted.

"Ah'm glad ya came."

"Said Remy'd see y'."

Rogue sighed and sat down across from him, Indian style. "Look. Ah know ya've got no reason ta believe me. Ah don't even know why ya're givin' me a chance to explain myself. But Ah appreciate it. So Ah thought of a way to make it so that this ain't a total waste of our time."

For the first time since she had joined him, Remy looked up from his cigarette in interest.

Rogue extended a latex glove to him, "Ah want ya to put this on."

Remy raised one eyebrow.

"Don't even say it, Swamp Rat." Rogue blushed. She couldn't help it.

"Say what, _chere_?" he spoke with mock innocence.

Rogue rolled her eyes, still blushing, and took off her right glove.

Remy tensed, but Rogue was looking down at her hand. "It's so ya can feel mah pulse," she said softly. Then she looked up at him wryly, "As ya can see, Ah've yet to control mah heart rate," and she gestured to her still blushing face.

"Y' want m' ta _what_?"

"So ya can know if Ah'm just makin' it up." Rogue looked at him intently and bit her lip before she spoke. "Ah'm gonna tell ya stuff about meh…" she closed her eyes and exhaled wondering for a moment why she was even bothering to try and explain this. She couldn't look at him. "Things no one knows. Ah couldn't bear it if aftah all that ya still didn't believe me."

Remy extended his empathy towards her. Her shields were down and he could feel her sincerity bleeding towards him.

"Why y' doin' dis, Rogue?" he whispered.

Rogue, her eyes still closed, shook her head and gave a little half laugh, half sob, "Ah don't know. It just…feels like the right thing to do."

Again, he felt nothing but sincerity, pain, and a little bit of confusion and apprehension. She was nervous, nervous about how he'd receive what she had to say, and nervous about him touching her. He could feel how much this was costing her. He wasn't sure whether to be proud of himself for winning the game or whether to throw himself at her feet protest his unworthiness. The fresh sunlight played with the shadows on her face, her luminous eyes were still closed and he found his attention drawn to her lips. This was the first time she was offering to let him touch her. _An' it's just so that I can know de truth. No more, no less._ He thought about letting her know that he could read her emotions when she kept her shields down. Then he smirked, _Where's de fun in dat? She offered._

The next thing Rogue felt was his latex covered hand grasping her naked one loosely around her wrist. She shivered at the contact. She could feel his warmth through the thin layer of plastic. This was the closet she had come to touching someone in so long…

Her eyelids wanted to flutter open, wanted her eyes to stare into his glorious red and black orbs and become lost in them, give herself over to simply being a woman alone with a very sexy, very creative man…_But it's never that simple._

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes in as business-like a manner as possible.

He was staring at her face with a strange expression--like he was torn between pleasure, self satisfaction, and pain. A lot of pain. But just as quickly as she had seen it, the expression faded into a look of indolent repose.

"Been a long time since I jus' sat an' held hands wit' a _femme_," he spoke with his usual lazy drawl, watching her closely.

Her lips curved upwards in a soft smile and he felt his breath catch. _I could just look at her forever, she's so beautiful. … What de hell, LeBeau! Get it together!_

She spoke before he could, "We'd better test it first, so ya can feel the difference between when I'm lying. Ya got mah pulse?"

He adjusted his fingers dexterously over her vein. He could feel the steady throb of her blood. Her wrists were so thin. He swallowed. "Got it. Am I hurtin' ya?"

"Nah, jus' hold it lightly an' Ah'll be OK. All right. Ask me three questions. Ah'll say 'yes' ta all of them. One of them should be a lie, one of them should be the truth, and one of them should be just ta embarrass meh."

"_Chere_! A true gentleman never says anyt'ing t' embarrass a lady!"

Rogue smirked, "Then either ya ain't a gentleman or ya don't think Ah'm a lady."

Remy laughed and leaned close to her, still gently clasping her wrist, "Oh Remy _knows_ y're a lady, _chere_."

Rogue flushed. "Nevermind. Two questions. Ah think ya know what my heart rate is like when it's just excited now."

Remy leaned in closer, "Remy made y' excited?"

Rogue smiled sweetly, "An' all primed ta punch yer head off."

Remy pouted and didn't move away, "Remy can t'ink of better ways t' punish him."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Pest." She moved to shove him back with her other hand, but he caught it and held it gently, all the while looking at her face.

Rogue's breath caught. She felt the warmth from his hands spread up her arms and through her body. Her lungs constricted; he was so close she could barely breathe. They sat there, staring at each other with Remy lightly holding her hands for a long moment.

"I don' wan' t' hafta let y' go, _chere_," he said softly. "I don' know why, but I don'."

Rogue felt a familiar sharp pain between her breasts. This time it was cased in a sheath of pleasure. He didn't want to let her go. He wanted to hear what she had to say. She had made the right choice. But… She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to ease the pain. "But Remy, no one can hold on to me."

_I'm holding ya now! _He wanted to shout, to whisper, to take her into his arms and show her he could kiss her. But he felt her withdrawal, he felt her pain, the pain of hope deferred over and over again. She was trying to trust, trying to reach out again after having that capacity frozen for God only knew how long. He had to let her do this. Hell, he wanted to let her do this. He wanted to own this woman in front of him; mind, heart, and body. He wanted to slip inside her the way thoughts of her had slipped inside him, past all his defenses, causing him to hope. He wasn't sure anymore if this was just a game. And if he won the prize, he didn't know if he could throw her away. A thief knows what is valuable.

But she was only letting him hold her so that she could explain why she thought something was wrong with her assignment to find information about his guild.

Remy released her gloved hand and leaned back from her again.

Rogue opened her eyes, relieved but a little disappointed that he had let her go. _No, he's just getting back to business,_ she tried to reassure herself. "Ask your questions."

"Is yer real name Stephanie?" he said.

Rogue winced at the thought, but said. "Yes."

"Liar," he teased.

Rogue grinned, "Ya know it. Next."

"Do y' like havin' m' hold yer hand?"

"Yes." _Damn him._ He was grinning at her like an idiot. _He_ is _an idiot._ "But don't get used ta it, Swamp Rat. This is never happening again."

"Sure," he said. "Liar."

"Ah am not lying!"

"_Non_, y' admitted it, _chere_. You're a liar and y' like havin' me holding yer hand."

Rogue exhaled. She couldn't kill him, right? She needed his help, right?

"Ah'm gonna start at the beginning--"

"A very good place to start," Remy interrupted.

"An' ya, Julie Andrews, are gonna keep quiet." She glared at him for a long moment before adding softly, "This is hard enough for me as it is."

One long finger stroked the back of her wrist.

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,_ she thought nervously.

"Remy'll be good, _chere_. He promises."

"Grand." Rogue grumbled. Then she sighed. She had made up her mind to do this when she was rational, hadn't she? It was better off to go through with her plan then to back out simply because she had a too damn hot and cocky Cajun sitting across from her holding her hand.

"Ah don't remember mah birth parents. Ah'm sure Ah had 'em, but they did no more for me then give me a name and put me in an orphanage. Ah'm not gonna tell ya about the orphanage. Ah'm sure ya can figure out it wasn't the most pleasant place. When Ah was five, Ah was adopted by a woman named Irene. She lived in Caldecott County. Ah was happy with her. Ah could run wild outside but still be taught ta be a lady inside. She taught meh ta read, play the piano, an' sing. But most importantly, she taught meh how ta listen ta people, ta really hear what was going on with them. Irene was blind, ya see. Ah was happy with Irene, even though sometimes it seemed like she was two different people.

"Ah had a best friend. His name was Cody. Cody taught me how ta climb trees an' race bullfrogs an' he made me laugh until mah sides ached. Cody always listened t' me. No matter how Ah screamed at him, he always came back. He wasn't a pushover though, he stood up for himself, he just wouldn't let me make myself alone. Ah was twelve when mah powers manifested. Cody an' Ah were down by the river. He was thirteen then, but we were still racing bullfrogs. Mine won, an' Ah was jumpin' up and down. He came in real close ta me with a silly grin an' a funny look on his face.

/_"What are ya doin', Cody?" _Why is he lookin' at meh so strange? she thought.

"_Ah'm givin' a kiss to the winner."/ _

"And then he leaned forward an' kissed meh on the lips. Ah was too shocked ta do anythin' about it. It was mah first kiss. Then my powers kicked in an' Ah pushed him away. But it was too late, he was lyin' there on the ground not breathin'…"

Despite herself, Rogue had to stop for a moment. She looked away from the Cajun sitting across from her. The memories flashed at her so vividly--the brief moment of surprise and pleasure, the shock, the worry, the fear, the guilt. The overwhelming damn guilt. It never went away.

And Remy felt them all with her.

She took a deep breath and said softly, "That was the last time Ah touched anyone without them gettin' hurt."

Remy opened his mouth to murmur something comforting and meaningless in the face of her pain.

Rogue saw it out of the corner of her eye, and spoke before he could, "Please don't, Remy. We'll never get through this if ya try an' comfort me every time ya hear something bad."

Remy's eyes widened, he flashed back to the first time he met her.

_/"Dat why you call yourself Rogue?"_

_She stiffened imperceptibly, "Naw. Rogue's mah name as much as it is a warnin'." /_

_De stupid idiot t'inks dis is all her fault! _Remy fumed_. Still! She shoves people away so dat dey won't get hurt. She won't let anyone get close t' protect dem--and to protect herself so dat she doesn't have to feel that way again. Damn it, why hasn't anyone made her see it wasn't her fault?_

His eyes flashed dangerously, but he held his peace. He wanted to hear what else she stupidly blamed herself for. He could wait.

Rogue was relieved that he didn't say anything. She really thought he was gonna, an' if one more person said 'it wasn't her fault' she didn't know how she was gonna react. It was her freakin' skin, wasn't it? If it wasn't her fault, whose was it? The people that she hurt? She didn't freakin' think so. It was her skin, her stupid, poisonous skin. So she continued with her story. She wondered how he'd react to this part.

"An' that was the first time…the first time Ah lost mah mind."

One of his eyebrows rose in a classic question.

"Cody was…inside me. Inside mah head. He--Ah--was so confused, Ah went back ta his house. His mama came in, saw me an' smiled--until Ah called her mama. In his voice. Then she screamed. After that…"

Rogue looked down again, no longer able to maintain eye contact as the memories threatened to overwhelm her. "After that it got bad."

/_Cody's mom/my Mama was screaming, "Where is mah son? Where's mah boy!"_

_She was shaking him/her, hard. _

"_Mama? Ah don't understand, Ah'm right here!" Rogue/Cody was crying. _

"_This isn't funny, girl! What did ya do ta him?"_

_There was such terror on Cody's mom/Mama's face. He/she felt sick in her stomach. _What have Ah done?

"_Ah'm right here, Mama! Don't be scared. Everythin's OK."_

_Cody's Mom/Mama staggered away from him/her. All the blood left her face and her eyes looked glazed. "Ya-ya did somethin' ya freak of nature!" Suddenly anger flared up in her eyes. She grabbed her broom and started hitting him/her._

_His/my mama was beating him/her. Screaming tears, accusations, curses on her son/Rogue. Every single one entered his/her heart and hurt more than the blows._

_Finally, he/she had curled up in fetal position on the floor, and Cody's mom had stopped hitting her/him. Cody's mom was weeping still, but she managed to get to the phone and call someone._

_Cody's presence started to fade in Rogue's mind. But the screams and curses of his/her mama never left her mind. She tried to stand up, and turned around, desperate to explain that she didn't mean to, that she didn't know what had happened but Cody was fine, he was down by the river, and please, God, if they would just find him and get him to the hospital he would be fine. But instead of finding Cody's mom when she turned around she saw…/_

"Irene came…an' she stared at me in horror. 'My Gawd ya little monster,' she said. 'What have ya done? Cody's dead. Ah nevah shoulda took ya in.'"

Remy growled deep in his throat.

Rogue looked up at him and actually smiled for a brief minute. "Oh hush, the best part's yet ta come."

Remy blinked. _Is she jokin'? I felt her--wit' t'ose words her whole world was ripped apart. Worse dan wit' me when Bella an' Julien… How can anyt'ing be 'better' dan dat?_

"After that Ah ran away. Ah didn't really have anywhere ta go. Somehow, Ah got gloves an' Ah always wore 'em, even when Ah was sleepin'. Once or twice Ah had ta use mah powers…ta get men ta leave me alone."

Rogue shuddered and Remy felt her fear--still fresh--after all those years.

"Ah was runnin' from a gang when suddenly Ah crashed into a boy--he was huge, literally the largest man Ah've ever met. He growled a lil' and shoved me behind him. Ah was scared, but the shove had been gentle an' Ah figured that if he was gonna fight the gang Ah'd have a chance ta run away from both of them."

_/Rogue crouched behind the large boy, trying to control her trembling. _

_They had found her. They circled around her and her protector like hungry wolves._

_The one with the metal bat spoke first, "What do you want here, fatso?"_

_The boy in front of Rogue spoke. His voice was flat and angry. "The name's Blob. And mah friends an' Ah are here ta give ya an' yours a lesson in manners."_

_For a moment, Rogue dared to hope that--maybe--she would be safe./_

"Some friends of his came out to help him fight off the gang. One of them was a lanky brunette an' the other was looked…green. The three of them absolutely demolished the gang. Nobody could touch Blob, Avalanche sent them all flying with his earthquakes, and Toad terrorized them with his tongue an' his spit. Of course, Ah didn't know their names then. Ah just knew that outa no where, three strange boys with powers stranger than mahne had come ta help me. A woman with beautiful black hair stepped out from the shadows.

"'Well done,' she said to the boys. Then she turned her attention to me. Ah was huddled against the wall, tryin' mah level best to be invisible.

"'Are you all right, child?' she said. An' for some reason, Ah trusted her. Ah don't know why. Ah still don't. But when she called me 'child' it just seemed so right.

"So Ah just nodded mah head.

"'Those aren't the last of those who would hurt you, you know,' she said. 'They just saw a pretty little girl to torment. But soon you will be hated and feared for the power that you possess. They will chase you down to the end of the earth to get you for that, if they know.'"

Remy swore softly. Rogue ignored him and continued her story.

"Ah said, 'How do ya know? About me, Ah mean.'

"'Because, child, I am like you.' Then she extended her hand ta me and her skin changed in front of mah eyes. It turned blue, layers of layers of blue folding back in front of me ta reveal a blue woman in a white dress with red, red hair. Her eyes gleamed yellow in the darkness, but Ah was not afraid.

"'That is the coolest thing Ah've ever seen,' Ah said.

"The woman laughed. 'It was a simple shape change, child. This is my true form. Your power is even greater than that. My name is Mystique. Will you come with me and let me help you learn to use it?'

"'Yes'm,' Ah said.

"'Come then.'

"An' Ah went. Later Ah thought it was strange that she never even asked me mah name. But that was typical of Mystique. By then, Ah had decided that Ah didn't want the name mah parents gave me, the name of the person who killed Cody. Ah had them call me Rogue.

"Ah learned how ta fight, how an' when ta suck mah opponents dry, an' how ta use others' powers. She always pushed me ta learn how ta use the powers that Ah got through absorbing others, always told me that havin' their psyches in mah head was a small price ta pay for the power. She had me practice on the boys. They didn't like it, but they didn't dare object. An' there was all sorts of…personal trainin' that she gave me as well. The whole time Ah was with her, she taught me everythin' she knew, even bringin' in other specialists so that Ah could be 'well rounded.' An' when Ah was ready enough--Ah think Ah was thirteen--she took me out on the field. Ah did things for her…with her…terrible things." Rogue snorted for a moment, "Ah learned how ta kill a man with a pencil in seven different ways. But she an' the boys were mah family now, an' Ah was fiercely loyal to them. Even when others joined, the boys an' Ah had a special bond. We had a 'cause' ya see. The protection of the mutant race."

/_"Do you have the detonator?"_

"_Relax, Rocky. This is gonna be easy as pie."_

"_I hate pie," Avalanche grumbled._

"_Did ya seal off all the exits in the lab?"_

"_Done and done. Toad, are all the explosives in place?"_

"_Roger, roger. Easier than catching dead flies in a barrel, what with the security tapes on loop."_

"_Then it's time to shake things up," Avalanche said. "Rogue, get out of there."_

"_Sure thing, sugah," she responded. "Ah'm settin' the first explosion in five minutes. Startin' now."_

_Suddenly the fire alarm went off in the main building. There was a mass exodus of employees, and no small amount of children. Like good little employees, they waited outside the building for the fire department to show up and give them the all clear. Little did they know that their time was quickly running out._

"_Avalanche! Use your powers ta get them ta leave!" Rogue's voice came over the communicator._

"_Why should I do that?" Avalanche responded. "The bomb's gonna go off in 3 minutes. It oughta clear the ground."_

"_There are kids down there! Now do it before Ah have ta come over there and do it mahself!"_

"_Fine," he grumbled. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he sent a light tremor over to where the employees had gathered._

_There was screaming, running, and parents picked up their children and ran to safety._

_There was pounding from inside the sealed doors of the lab. Muffled screams, pleas to be let out._

_The sound of screams faded as Rogue, Avalanche, and Toad left the scene._

_Time was up._

"_That'll show those scientist pigs not ta experiment on mutants," Rogue said with smug self-satisfaction, watching as the building collapsed inward on itself. Then she set off the second charge. Even larger than the first, this explosion caused the remains of the building to fly outwards. _

_Twenty scientists were killed that day, along with 40 civilians. But that was the job./_

"An' ah believed in that cause. But Ah still hated to see bystanders get hurt. With Mystique, there were no innocents, only bystanders."

_/"This mission was, for the most part, a success. There was just one unexplained flaw--the fire alarm went off in the main building. How was that possible, Rogue, when I specifically told you to cut all the alarms in the facility?" The blue mutant's eyes were narrowed in suspicion._

_Rogue crossed her arms defiantly, "There was a daycare facility inside the main building, Mystique. Ah wasn't about ta murder a bunch of kids."_

_Mystique shrugged, "If you kill them when they're children you don't have to kill them when they're adults. You needlessly jeopardized the mission by setting off the fire alarm."_

"_The mission's objective was to destroy the testing facility, incinerate any data they had collected, and make a point. Well, Ah'd say the trapped scientists inside the blown up building made a point. There was no need ta kill the children too."_

"_All that you have done today is preserve the lives of those who you will later have to subdue." Mystique stalked up to Rogue and slapped her hard on the cheek. _

_Rogue had seen the blow coming, but she took the punishment. She knew that fighting back was useless._

"_Never risk the mission for something like this without clearing it first with me. Though I'm proud that you thought for yourself and worked out a feasible plan, be aware, Rogue, that you will not always be able to save bystanders in a war. Sometimes more dramatic statements will need to be made. This is a war for our very survival. And when I give the order, you will carry it out, no matter the age of the targets or potential collateral damage. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes, ma'am." _Ya're understood. But that don't mean Ah agree./

"Things stayed this way until Ah was sixteen. It was the week after mah birthday, and Mystique had got me a motorcycle. Ah couldn't sleep an' Ah never paid much attention to curfew, so Ah snuck out of mah room. Ah was gonna go for a midnight ride. With all the trainin' they had given meh, they never suspected a thing. There was a light on in Mystique's office, an' Ah heard her talking about a future mission. Never being one ta pass on findin' out some extra information, Ah quite shameless eavesdropped."

"Mystique was laying out some sort of procedure.

"'She'll sneak in while I disable the alarms. The S.H.I.E.L.D. wench won't know what hit her. When Rogue gets her hands on her to knock her out, Blob will be there. He'll keep Rogue's hands on her head until the transfer is complete. The girl has a ridiculous sense of appropriate action at times.'

"'Are you sure this is wise, Raven? We do not know the effect that a fully absorbed psyche will have on Rogue's mental stability.'

"Ah recognized that voice an' hoped that mah quick intake of breath hadn't been heard.

"'I appreciate your concern, Irene, but Rogue's a tough kid. She'll handle it. And with these new powers permanently integrated into her own, she'll be invincible.'

"'I still don't like it.'

"'Why, did you see something?'

"Hesitation, then 'It is a great risk.'

"'With an even greater benefit! This is why we adopted her in the first place, Irene! She'll be the ideal weapon.'

"That was it, Ah had heard enough. Despite encouraging me ta use everyone else's powers, Mystique had never once let me absorb her. Ah decided that tonight that was going ta change. Ah slipped off my glove and opened the door silently. Ah was inside before they knew any different, and as Mystique looked up in surprise my bare hand was pressed against her neck.

"All of her memories flooded me. Ah held on long enough so that Ah knew she'd be out clear till the next day. Irene couldn't stop me, she was blind. But she didn't say anything either. She must have known Ah was there, but she didn't cry out.

"Ah let Mystique fall ta the ground and sorted through her memories ta find the ones pertainin' ta me. It was true. Everything she had said was true. She and Irene had adopted me because Irene--Destiny--had foreseen mah powers. Ah was nothing more than a weapon ta her. That was why Irene had seemed like two people. One was Irene. One was Mystique pretending ta be Irene. That day Ah had hurt Cody it had been Mystique and she had deliberately driven me away. And now she was going ta have me murder someone. A mutant someone, a good person who worked for the government."

Rogue flexed her jaw and looked away over the edge of the building towards the horizon.

"Ah put mah glove back on. Ah wanted ta strangle Mystique with mah bare hands but gloved ones would have ta do. Ah didn't want any more of that bitch in mah head.

"Then Irene spoke. 'Cody is alive, you know.'

"Ah turned to her, 'What?'

"'He was in a comma for three months, but he survived.'

"Ah don't think that anything else would have stopped me from killin' Mystique. She had trained me ta be a weapon, after all. It didn't even matter if Ah had a name. But that stopped me. Ah knew Irene was tellin' the truth. An' it was like the world suddenly had air again.

"Without a word, Ah turned to leave. Ah was never coming back ta them.

"As Ah reached the door, Irene spoke, 'I missed you when you left, you know.'

"Without turning around, Ah spoke, 'Then ya shouldn't have let her take me. But now ya have ta let me go.'

"'Take care and fresh winds in your sails--' she spoke my name, the name that Ah hadn't heard in four years. But even though Cody was still alive, it wasn't who Ah was anymore.

"'It's still Rogue,' Ah said, and then Ah left her."

Rogue looked back at Remy and paused for a moment. "Remy?"

He had been staring past her with his jaw locked.

"Yeah?" he turned his head to look at her.

"Ya're chargin' the roof."

His jaw twitched and he glanced down quickly. Sure enough, a tell-tale pink was spreading outwards. He quickly reabsorbed the charge.

"Sorry, _chere_. Got a little irritated," he said.

"Ah see…" she trailed off, uncertain.

He forced out a loose chuckle, "Not at y', _belle_. Finish your story, den we'll talk, _d'accord_?"

"OK. Well, using the information Ah got from Mystique's memories, Ah made mah way ta where the SHIELD agent was. Ah figured that they were gonna come after them anyway, an' since it was partly 'cause of me Ah owed it ta SHIELD ta help."

Remy snorted.

Rogue shrugged, "What can Ah say? Ah was sixteen. Ah found the agent and told her everything. She was a little surprised that a sixteen year old girl was working with such a famous terrorist, but a small demonstration of mah skills and mah power changed her mind. Ah tapped her ta give her a taste of what Mystique had planned for her. Boy, was she pissed. She immediately called SHIELD, took me in, and wanted ta lock me up and throw away the key."

"Bitch," Remy said.

"Sush," Rogue said. "Anyway, she yelled and yelled at her boss about me for hours Ah guess. He just asked her a few questions, calmed her down, and by the time they were done she was mah biggest fan an' advocate. She knew that her powers were temptin', and that Ah could have had them completely if Ah had wanted. Mostly though, she was pissed at Mystique.

"She took me out of the holdin' cell and apologized for 'blowing a gasket' as she put it. Then she thanked me for the information and asked me was Ah was gonna do now.

"'Lie low for a while, Ah guess,' Ah said. 'Ah'm sure Mystique won't give up on me that easily. After all, she invested eleven years of her life into me.' Ah added a little bitterly. 'After that, Ah don't know. Ah ain't exactly built fo' normal life.'

"The agent looked mad again at the mention of Mystique, but she managed to speak calmly, 'Nah, you ain't built for normal life. But then, neither am I. It's not easy, but it can be fun, and it can be used for a good purpose.

"'Excuse me if Ah don't want ta be 'used' again,' Ah said.

"The agent winced and then sat down, 'Look. Do you know why absorbing me would have been a particularly good target?'

"'Your powers,' Ah stated the obvious.

"She glared at me, but said 'That. And I'm the only known mutant working for the government. If Mystique had used another mutant to take me out, it would have been war.'

"Ah followed the implications of her words. Mystique had been tryin' ta instigate a war with the very weapon that she planned on using ta win it.

"'Why do you work with the government?' Ah said.

"'When you have my powers, a desk job really ain't an option, kid. Plus, the boss saw something in me. And I see something in you. You didn't have to come and warn me. You didn't have to make me believe you. And I know that you didn't have to let yourself be locked up in a cell. But you did. You've got a huge doss of chutzpah, kid, and an even larger sense of justice.'

"Ah didn't know what ta say ta that, so Ah just shrugged.

"''Look, I'm not askin' ya to join up right away. Hell, I don't even know if they'll _let_ you join--'

"'What do you mean, they won't let me?'

"She looked at me askance. 'Mutant. Government. See a problem?'

"'Ya are.'

"'Yeah, and I'm the _only one_, kid.'

'"It shouldn't be that way.'

"'No, it shouldn't. Wanna do something about it?'

"'Ah laughed, 'Very cute, but Ah ain't buying.'

"The agent shook her head. 'I wasn't tryin' to trick ya, kid. It's just your hyperactive sense of justice. Like I was saying, if they _let_ you join, you'll be incredibly useful. You've been trained by the enemy. If you were trained by us too, then…yeah, you'd be real good, kid. And your powers would be an asset as well, but we wouldn't ask you to use them like she did. And you'd always have a choice.'

"'An' Ah'd always need ta know all the information before Ah went. Ah mean, imagine if Ah had just assumed Mystique knew what she was doing an' went out on my bike? Ya'd be inside mah head by now.'

"The agent shuddered. 'I'd make sure you always knew it.'

"Ah stared at her. Then Ah said, 'On those terms, Ah'll consider it.'

"The agents eyebrows shot up. Ah really don't think she had expected that easy a win.

"So Ah considered it. An' a few weeks later, Ah joined. After all, what else was Ah gonna do? They tested meh first, ta see how good Ah was. It irritated the crap out of most of them that Ah was better than nearly all their field agents. They wanted ta run tests on mah mutation. Ah told them hell no. They backed off.

"Ah worked with them on the inside for two years before Ah got a field commission. Oh, an' Ah got mah GED. For some reason, the boss was real particular about that.

"The other mutant agent and Ah set up a proposal for an elite team of trusted mutants ta keep an eye on the other mutants out there--the ones that would use others ta stir the world into a war. The ones that would hurt people just because they can. We got our way. We're technically independent of SHIELD. Ah'm not sure who we report ta, exactly. So these past four years, we've been doing just that."

Rogue gently withdrew her hand from Gambit's grasp. "Ah could do with some coffee."

"Is Remy allowed t' speak now?" he said.

"Only if he gets me coffee. There's one last chapter Ah hafta tell ya before ya'll understand it all…but first Ah need coffee."

"As _mon belle_ wishes," his smile was a little strained.

Rogue leaned back against the wall and muttered, "Ah ain't yours, Cajun."

He heard her and gave her a true grin as he slipped down the side of the building to retrieve some coffee. He was glad she had sent him away. He needed some space. Each and every memory that she had uncovered, he had felt along with her. He never dreamed that he would know her so intimately without knowing her intimately. It was like she had let him crawl around on the inside of her heart, revealing all the treasures that she made from her shattered pain. _But she didn't know dat she did dat. She doesn't know about m' empathy. I'm a t'ief, slipping in where I don't belong again._

Somehow, for the first time in a long time, that bothered him. So he actually paid for their coffees. He dumped packets of sugar in hers--he knew she liked it sweet--and then added just a hint of cinnamon.

_I need t' sort dis out. In order t' do dat, I need t' stop wantin' ta hunt down and kill de salope who did this t' her and t'ink. OK, first of all--she's tellin' me dis so dat she can prove dat she really doesn't give a damn over de fact dat I'm a t'ief. How does dis do dat? She's tellin' m' she was once a terrorist. She doesn't see de harm in what I do, she only sees the harm in what _she _did. And so dat's what she's goin' after: people who were like her and de people who made her like she was. That's a heavy load to bare, mon cherie. How do y' walk so strong and so alone? No wonder your eyes are sad._

_I wonder if every time she takes one of dem down, if she sees herself for a minute first. I wonder if she wishes someone had taken her down too._

_Of course. Why else join SHIELD._

Merde_, Rogue. Ya've gotta cut yourself a break._

_But she would say 'Why else would I have been given skin no one can touch? I'm not a human, I'm a breathing weapon.'_

_Part of her believes it. _

_But part of her loses herself in sensation, in dancing and music and water and fighting hand t' hand. She fights de part dat believes it wit' dat part._

_What does she feel when I touch her?_

_Redemption? Desire--not for me, but ta be something dat she isn't? _He didn't like that thought one bit. _Or does she feel like she doesn't deserve it. Or does she crave touch so much dat she doesn't care what she feels?_

_Merde, Rogue! Dere's so much more ta y' den dat! Dere's your laughter and your wit. Dere's de way you soak up beauty wherever you go. Dere's de way your eyes crinkle when ya try an' hold back a grin. Dere's de way ya tease me, de way y' accept me--accept everyone. Dere's de way dat ya care enough t' keep yourself shut away. Dere's your courage when ya take a risk wit' your heart, wit' your life, just by doing dis. Dere's de way y' dance in a crowded club like no one's watching. De way ya sing ta yourself when ya walk. Mon Dieu, Rogue, there's so much more ta y' den your skin!_

_Dat's jus' great, LeBeau. Now how ya gonna tell all dat t' _her?

That, he decided, was the most important question he had come up with yet.

* * *

Translation: salope: bitch 

AN: OK, I know that that whole pulse thing probably wouldn't work at all in real life. Humor me. It was a fun plot device. And it got Remy holding her hand!  
And no offense if your name is Stephanie. It's a great name. I just don't think Rogue would like it for herself.  
Oh, I forgot to mention, I think that I got my attitude and about Rogue and the guild from the end of The Thomas Crown Affair with Pierce Brosnan. Most of the movie was (in my opinion) dull as dirt, but the ending was very cool. Oh, and I think I can trace the inspiration to that bit about the pencil to Eileen Blazer's "Freedom Caper."  
So now we understand why knowing all the information is so important to Rogue and why she's so suspicious when Carol won't give it to her. It was one of her conditions for joining, after all, and Carol really ought to have enough trust in Rogue's judgment to tell her everything. Why won't she? You'll have to wait to find out…  
Well, not much Romy in this, but a few quite helpful revolations on both their sides, wouldn't you say?  
Favorite line: "Ah wanted ta strangle Mystique with mah bare hands but gloved ones would have ta do." Though I like that bit about him grinning like an idiot and being an idiot too..

Review Responses:

wrapped in banana foil:  
Yeah, I'll listen to the story but I'll keep Pete in mind. Congrats on being my first reviewer! And thanks for the congrats on 2 months…wow, time flies when you're having fun. I'm glad you liked the Shirley Temple and whiskey thing, it was meant to be poignant, and so I'm glad it succeeded!  
What story do you have to go and read now? Well, here's some more plot thickener, what did you think?  
ishandahalf  
Crack bunnies smiling down on me…I have to say, that's a rather eerie and nightmarish image…little bunnies peeping out from the corners of the ceiling, grinning maniacally, urging me to write before they pounce… :shudder: LOL, well, I'll take what I can get. Truth is though, this stuff's the good stuff, and I've had big chunks of it written for months now.  
I'm glad you liked my little twist. I told you I was gonna try something a little different with the playing carousel, and, well, there it is. So I'm glad you're enjoying the way it's working out. Yay!  
Heh heh, I'm glad you liked that line about rearranging rich people's toys. I thought of it while I was working and had to rush and find something to write it down with before I forgot it.  
I can understand your hesitation in not trusting Remy…it's probably wise…at least at this point. But cards on the table do make for an interesting game…  
So what do you think? Are they any closer to "figuring it out?"  
And hey, I think I got four "dun dun duhh's" in a row! How cool is that? (Grin)  
addtothenoise  
Glad you loved it! Hope you liked this bit too.  
Realtfarraige  
Heh heh. I liked that line too. It was a huge motivating factor in writing enough to get to that point, just so I could share it. And believe me, I _know_ what you mean.  
Feel free to rain down fun Irish-isms that I have to ask you what they mean. I love finding out slang from other cultures. So, here's the beginning of some history…what say you?  
Roguechere:  
(Grin) Glad you liked it. I think it's fun. Something refreshing about honesty…and it works for the story, I think. Cool beans on the writing similarity thing. I'll have to check that story out sometime soon. So, here's the beginning of some answers…what say you?  
They-Call-Me-Orange  
Cool, I'm really glad you like it! Some of your questions I can answer, some would spoil the story, so…I haven't really read the comics, but I've done a lot of online research on them--but personality I'd have to say that they're like neither. In this history line, I've changed enough significant events in their lives to really change some key facets of personality. I got into X-Men off of the 90s cartoon. So, I'm not really working off of a comic understanding--that's kinda why I put this in Evo, because I just don't know enough about the comic history to do them justice. Why don't you let me know at the end, what you think they were most like? That would be fun for me. So, thank you, I'm glad you've enjoyed. I hope you continue to do so.  
Check--one vote for a fiery death for Emma Frost. I was thinking about boiling oil, but fiery death is good too…  
Eileen  
Note to self: Do not tease Eileen about her cruelness to characters, else you will give her evil ideas.  
Yes, but you _really_ do make me laugh--in a very, very good way. And what do you mean they're not doing The Pheonix? How can they not be? And I could have sworn I read somewhere about a Gambit cameo and they just haven't cast him yet…but considering how they wrecked Rogue, they'd probably wreck him too and cause massive jaw gnashing throughout the land…  
Thanks for the comment clarification! I just wasn't sure if it was sarcastic or not but now that I know it wasn't, I'm glad! Yay!  
I am one of those people who looks at the color code thingys and goes--ooo, shiney. I wish I was organized enough to use those. Truth is, these bits have had chunks written and now I'm just filling them out. It'll be slower again soon. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but hey… you're allowed to enjoy and grumble at the same time. That's always fun.  
I'm glad you wanted Rogue to hit Remy over the head with the whiskey bottle. I also, _really_ wanted Rogue to hit him over the head. So did she. But he was the target and she's too good at her job to alienate him--at that point. Too bad he didn't come over after she had had a few shots. He totally deserved it, and I have this mental image of the shock on his face with the whiskey dribbling down from his head and little glass shards stuck in his hair…yeah…anyway…  
Heh heh, well, he had to have a reason for telling her that he knew, and him not wanting her to want him to go was the best one I could think of.  
Thanks for the get-well-teddy bear thought! I did SO read your review all the way through, and was also quite amazed at the potential Starbucks wrap around.  
Thanks for pointing out what lines you liked. That's so fun for me.  
So, here's the beginning of the famed "we need to talk, can you meet me at Starbucks" conversation. What say you?  
rubic-cube  
Thank you very much! I'm glad you loved it. OK, about the touching thing--Remy did touch her all the way back in chapter four, Rogue just didn't know it and Remy is starting to figure it out…  
Bored247:  
(Grin) Finally, some answers, huh? Well, I'm glad I was able to help with that whole 'patience' thing, I guess. So, what do you think? Don't worry, there are more answers in the next chapter. Thanks, I'm really glad you love it. That makes me happy.  
WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc  
Here's more. Hope you enjoy.  
Spicy Sweet  
Thank you very much for your review! I hope you feel better! And that you liked this bit too.  
Chained2aMask  
Eeep! Just READING the ingredients to that torture actually causes physical pain. I'm impressed.  
(Grin) And thanks! Hope you enjoy this one too.  
Kitrazzle Fayn  
He's the target, yes, but the op stinks and she needs help and well, since he knows anyway…maybe they can help each other? Lol, that's what I'm going with anyway. Glad you loved the title! It makes me happy, as well as the whiskey bottle, which I really wish she could have actually done. Thanks much, and enjoy!  
Kouchou no Kouken  
Good, I'm glad you'll have a go at reviewing the whole thing. I'll look forward to that, when you get around to it.  
See, I was also going for Anna-Marie, but that sounds like a mouthful to me, and so I just don't know…(I agree with you about the movie version of Rogue. Who IS she and WHY? Ick.) Oh, the two names are a good idea too…I like it.  
Yes, I think you did mention that you liked how I handled the FORCE thing, and thank you.  
What? Rogue could breathe in space? I didn't know that… Oh, you ask " How come Remy doesn't know she's being serious when he turns on his empathy when they talk?" You mean when she's telling him to go away in the alley? He _does_ know she's serious--and that's what scares him into telling her about his knowledge of her in FORCE. That whole "you don't want me to go away" thing was just a set-up. Sorry that wasn't clear!  
Thanks for the tip about Works. I'll work on it--probably end up going back and putting them in or something…  
I saw your review in Stolen Hearts. That blip of a teaser I did way back when--and it was a great review. I know I didn't write very much in that thing, but you picked up on all the things that you liked as well as answering my question (very well) in the author's note. So you are thorough in that you point out what you like and what you think could be better. It's a good thing, and I enjoy reading your reviews. Although not being threatened by weasels. :0)  
LOL, I'm glad you loved that chapter. I really like it too. Yeah, I understand the whole assumption thing, and more of Rogue's reasons for being suspicious will be unfolded in coming chapters--I kinda wanted her "I don't give a damn" to be a surprise to everyone. So I'm glad it worked.  
I attribute Rogue not blowing a fuse to her extreme emotional exhaustion and the fact that she needs help and sees that he can give it to her. (I rely a lot on her professionalism and training for Remy's continued existence in this story.) Plus, Remy's hotness might have a factor there. Glad you liked that whole 'dropping of a bombshell' scene. It's the one that made me write the story, so, yeah, I'm really glad you liked it.  
Ooo, this sentence is intriguing, care to elaborate? "And best of all, you did that wonderful thing you do with the way they handle each other."  
And _of course_ Remy's going to help Rogue. It's in his best interests in _so many_ ways. (Smirk)  
Eleanora Vera Anne Nicole Beatrix is a very pretty name. I like it a lot. But I can see where the abbreviation comes in handy.  
enchantedlight  
Thank you! Enjoy!  
Sweety8587  
LOL. Well, I'm glad you like it!  
Pie in the snout, huh? Is it, by any chance, an _exploding_ pie?  
Fingers905  
Ah yes. Marvel Girl. How could I have forgotten. Glad you liked the chapter! Hope this one continues on that trend.  
Chica De Los Ojos Cafe  
Hey, welcome back! I'm really glad you're enjoying it! Hope you like this one too.


	10. Almost Touching

**Disclaimer**: Meaning: to disclaim. To say, I do not own. To plead: Don't sue, they belong to you!

/_Remember, I mean flashback/_

* * *

Chapter 10: Almost Touching 

Making his way unobserved to the roof with two coffees in hand was a little trickier than he had thought. But there was a reason why they called him the Prince of Thieves, and Remy managed it with only minimal effort.

Rogue was leaning back against the raised edge of the roof, clasping her knees to her chest, her eyes still closed. Apparently, she hadn't heard him land on the roof as her eyes were still closed.

They opened when his shadow fell across her face.

Wordlessly, he extended her the coffee and hunkered down beside her, his back resting on the adjoining wall.

A companionable silence fell over them as they each took quiet sips of their coffee.

Rogue's eyes widened after her first mouthful, "Oh, ya remembered Ah liked it with sugar."

Remy grinned at her, "Yeah, dat must be why you're so sweet."

She looked at him skeptically, "Now ya _know_ that's just not true."

"After hearing what y' just said, I'm even more convinced dat it's true," he responded carelessly, not even bothering to be concerned with the fact that the complement was actually sincere.

Rogue shook her head, "You're nuts."

"Bout y'."

"Wow, would ya like some wine ta go with that cheese?"

Remy laughed at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges, "You're something else, Rogue."

"Don't Ah know it," she growled back at him.

"Can I ask y' a question?"

"Sure," she shrugged. Her eyes were slightly wary, but determined. She was set on being honest with him.

_What do you feel when I touch you? _Remy chickened out. "So if you're de one who helped put dis mutant team toget'er, does dat mean you're in charge?"

Rogue snorted. "Hardly. Ah mean, mah boss has always had a lot of respect for me and she listens ta mah opinions, at least, until recently… No, we've always worked on more of a coordinated effort…different people bringing up different information, then we'll meet about it an' mah boss will decide which situation we deal with, unless somethin' pressin' comes up first. Then the person whose problem gets chosen takes the second position on the op. The guy workin' on this one, he's, well…" Rogue trailed off, trying to find the right words to describe Bishop.

"Got a stick shoved up his ass?" Remy offered helpfully.

"Well…kinda. We had been workin' on him, though, me an' Kit…"

Remy perked up at the first name he's heard since she started talking about her team

"Kit?"

"Yeah…Kitty Pryde. Mah best friend." Rogue suddenly found the floor very interesting.

"If she's your best friend, den why do y' look so sad?

Rogue's mouth twisted in a bitter smile. "Ah, the perfect segue. How often does _that_ happen?"

There was silence as they each just sat there, taking sidelong glances at each other and loud sips of coffee.

"So, y' gonna tell me?"

"Wouldn't be fair not ta, now."

His brow furrowed, "Y' don't always have t' worry about being fair, y' know."

"So ya don't want ta hear it?"

"_Non, non_, I'm not saying dat." Remy raised his hands defensively.

"Then shut up," she grinned.

"Y' gonna give me your hand again?" he cocked his eyebrows and gave her an inviting grin.

"Still need proof Ah'm tellin' the truth?"

"Nah, but I wanna hold your hand."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Please, Cajun. Like that's a good reason."

"I t'ink it is. But I can t'ink of a way t' improve it if y' don't."

"Oh yeah?" Rogue quirked her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah."

Their gazes locked in challenge. Then Remy began to sing a rendition of Beatles' "I wanna hold your hand."

The first few bars were in five different keys. He was exaggerating each word with a pathetic expression on his face and sounded absolutely ridiculous.

Rogue was laughing so hard at him that her sides began to hurt. "Stop, stop!" she gasped between giggles.

"Y' gonna let me hold your hand?" Remy looked at her expectantly.

"Nope!"

He started singing again.

"All right, all right already." Rogue extended her naked hand.

But instead of clasping her wrist, he entwined his thinly-covered fingers with hers and pulled the hand to rest on his lap.

"That's not what Ah had in mind, Cajun."

"_Mais_, it's so much less dan what I had in mind, y' should be disappointed."

Rogue blushed and decided to leave it alone. _Is it possible, after all that, he still wants me?_

Remy felt the stirrings of confusion and desire--but what got his attention most was something that he very rarely felt from Rogue. Relief and…hope. He squeezed her hand gently and ran his thumb over hers.

"Go ahead and finish your story, Rogue."

She smiled at him, but then her eyes glazed over and all the peaceful feelings he was picking up from her left. He felt anger, grief, the aching pain of loss, and worst and most annoying of all, that ever present guilt.

Merde, chere_. Y' can't take care of the world yaself, ya know._

Rogue began to talk, "Ah met Kitty when she was seventeen, Ah was nineteen. She had hacked her way into SHIELD for _fun_ and found the files there 'bout FORCE. As ya can guess, this caught our attention, Civies ain't even supposed ta _know _about SHIELD, let alone FORCE. Anyway, after findin' out about us, she sent us an e-greetin' card with a big ol' yellow smiley face on it. Just about when we were gonna go and have a serious talk with her, she showed up on our doorstep, wantin' ta join.

"We learned that she had been with Xavier's for the past two years, gettin' some training with her mutation, but then something happened. She never spoke of why she left, except to say that his dream of mutant human harmony was all very well and good, but that it didn't take care of enough day to day problems in order to be practical in the real world.

"Of course, she didn't tell me this until much later. When we first met, she talked like a valley girl, acted as if she didn't have a brain in her head. But she couldn't fool us, we knew better because of how she had gotten our attention."

Rogue shook her head. "She wore pink ta our first training session. _Pink._ An' Ah swear the words 'like' and 'totally' alternated with every other word she said. Ah couldn't figure out what she was tryin' ta hide so badly with her ditzy act. Later Ah learned…it was helplessness. She felt like the world was goin' ta hell an' no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't stop it. She wasn't even sure she was _able_ ta fight. She didn't think she was good enough. Ah managed ta convince her otherwise."

/_It was around three in the morning and Rogue couldn't sleep. Ever since the new recruit had shown up, Carol had asked Rogue to stay in the FORCE base. Which wouldn't have been so bad…if it wasn't miles underground. She was definitely going stir crazy, and if she left the base at this hour there she would need to make unnecessary explanations…_

_Rogue decided to go into the kitchen and get a snack._

_Kitty was sitting on a stool on the island in the middle of the kitchen, surrounded by various bags of junk food, her elbows on the table and her face in her hands. _

"_What are ya doin' down here?"_

_Kitty looked up at Rogue, her face blank, her eyes miserable._

"_Did you see me in that training sequence today? They got me out in the first five minutes! I just feel so…useless, ya know?"_

Oh, so _that's _what it is, _Rogue thought. _

"_Can ya phase through that cookie jar and get me a cookie, sugah?" Rogue asked._

_Kitty gave her a puzzled and slightly hurt look, but did as she requested._

_Rogue took the cookie and said, "What's ta stop ya from doin' that ta a beatin' heart?"_

_Kitty stilled, looking at Rogue a little wary, a little shocked. "It would be wrong."_

"_Kitty, when you're fightin' for your life, there is no 'wrong.' Ya're just lookin' at your mutation from the wrong perspective. Ya can phase through bullets, lasers, water, and fire. Ya can disable complex machines with a touch. Ya can strand your opponents in walls, in the ground, disabling them and enabling ya ta continue ta fight an' then come back ta them later for questioning. All the while without takin' a single hit. Sure, ya hafta get close ta someone or something in order for ya powers ta work. So does Carol, so do Ah. But nothing can stop ya from gettin' close enough ta work. Ya ain't only untouchable, Kitty. Ya're unstoppable."_

_She looked at Rogue with wide eyes. "I never thought of it that way."_

_Rogue offered the younger girl a half-smile. "Ah know. But Mystique trained me to see things that way. Ah know ya'd be a formidable opponent. Look, Ah know that Xavier helped ya ta control your mutation. An' that's great. But from what Ah understand about the X-men, y'all didn't go out pickin' fights with the nasties. We do. We try an' get there before anything ever happens, so that nobody hears of it. Ya need ta learn ta think differently, learn ta see everythin' an' use everythin' ya see ta your advantage. _

"_How can I do that?"_

_Rogue let out a breath. She knew that Carol would probably recommend sending Kitty back to SHIELD for basic training. But the girl sitting in front of her was so bright, Rogue felt like that would be a waste. Besides, they'd just teach her more rules and regulations. For Kitty ever reach her full potential, she needed to learn how to see around them…_

"_Ah can teach ya, if ya want."_

_Kitty's eyebrows shot up, "Really?"_

"_Yeah. But don't expect it ta be easy."_

"_Why are you, like, helping me?"_

"_Ya're mah teammate. Ah help ya, Ah help mahself."_

"_Riight."_

_Rogue grinned, "Good, you're already learnin' ta be suspicious. Don't ever let that go."_

_Kitty still just looked at her skeptically. _

"_Look, ya wanna do this or not?"_

"_Like, totally," and then she grinned, her eyes lit with determination./_

"Ah told her the truth, that we wouldn't have taken her in if we didn't think she'd be of use. Then Ah started trainin' her. Sure, Xavier had helped her with physical trainin', but there was still so much that she needed ta know in order to be able to survive in our world.

"So Ah taught her how ta think like a weapon, a spy. An' as Ah helped her toughen up and learn to see things differently, she did the same for meh. She helped teach me that it was OK ta just be a girl. She made me have late night movie-a-thon sleepovers complete with masks and toenail painting and MnMs and popcorn. She was the one who talked me into goin' dancing. She would get into hour long discussions about which actor was hot and who was not. Ah had never been allowed ta think that way before. Sometimes, Ah just wanted ta drain her dry. But then one day she pointed out that those actors were just as untouchable for her as they were to me. And then she started going off about Vin Diesel…"

Rogue laughed and shook her head. "An' Ah couldn't help but add ta the conversation."

Remy rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, Kitty started dating a guy that we met on a mission. After that, she, umm, began to encourage me to start workin' on controllin' mah mutation."

/_Kitty didn't even knock. She phased right through Rogue's door and grabbed Rogue by the shoulders, phasing her through the wall._

"_What the--"_

"_Now just shut-up and listen, Rogue. You're my best friend and you know that I admire you more than practically anyone else in the world. You've helped and you've taught me so much. You're smart, funny, and you don't take anything from anyone. But one thing that drives me nuts about you is the way that you just lie down and take it when it comes to your mutation. Yeah, you got a shitty hand--_

Kitty never used ta curse. Must be Pete's influence. Hell, she had probably practiced this speech with him.

"_--and you've found ways to live around it. But there's no reason why you shouldn't fight it, why you can't at least try to learn to control it."_

_Rogue rolled her eyes. "Well it ain't like Ah've got a line of willin' test subjects, linin' up an' sayin' 'Please suck the living essence out of mah body so that ya can learn ta touch people.' Not ta mention the joy of havin' ta tame down a new psyche after any an' every unsuccessful test!"_

_Kitty put her hands on her hips. "Bullshit. Learn how to do it so that it doesn't hurt better, I'll be your test subject and I'll make my psyche go quietly into the night. You've got to at least try, Rogue. You don't let anything else keep you down. Why should you let this? At least fight it."_

"_Don't ya think Ah have?" Rogue gritted._

"_Well, you're not now. Weren't you the one who told me to never stop fighting until you'd won?"_

_The two friends stared at each other for a long time in silence._

"_Damn it, Ah hate it when ya use mah own words against meh._

_Kitty grinned cheekily, "You can't help being right most of the time. Just be glad that I'm here to kick your butt into shape when you're not."_

"_Hmph. Let me out, an' Ah'll show ya how ta _really _kick butt, Kit-kat."_

"_Oh, I don't think so. Rogue didn't raise no fool." A wink and then she quickly phased back through the door. /_

"It's because of her that Ah can control what Ah take, now, an' why it doesn't hurt as much when Ah absorb people, now. We were going to start workin' on makin' it so that Ah could practice touchin' without absorption. We had no idea how that was gonna go, but Ah had made so much progress with everythin' else, it seemed like the next thing ta try.

"Then, three months ago, Ah got a tip off on some mutant terrorist activity in middle America. Mystique's group was going to let off a biological weapon in the middle of a NASCAR race. Do ya know how many people from all over attend those? Hundreds of thousands, flocking from all over the country. It's not bad enough that they all would have been effected, but they would have spread the agent back to wherever they had come from. Of course, we weren't about ta let _that _happen.

"Ah split up the team, sendin' the telepaths an' the science expert ta clear the area. The rest of 'em Ah sent ta deal with the Brotherhood while Ah located the bomb. After all, Ah _knew_ Mystique, Ah knew where she would plant it. Disabling that bomb was our first priority. If Ah was wrong in guessing where she had placed it, Ah would track her down and suck the information out of her.

/_"Do you know how much fun it is to watch ten thousand people fleeing their worst fear? All in their heads, of course." _

"_That's nice, White Queen. Beast, did ya set off the alarm?"_

"_Affirmative, Rogue."_

"_Ms. Marvel, how's it comin'?"_

"_The boys seem disappointed that you didn't come out to play, Rogue," Carol said. _

_Rogue heard the sound of Fred Dukes grunting in pain over Carol's communicator. She winced a little. Rogue hated fighting the Brotherhood._

"_Iceman's got Boom Boom, Bishop's got Pyro, and Shadowcat's taking Avalanche. How's disabling that bomb coming?"_

"_It'd be better if it didn't have so many of the same colored wires," Rogue responded, frowning at the complex timing mechanism._

"_How much longer do we have?" Carol asked._

"_Five more minutes," Rogue said. "Don't worry, Ah'll get it. Ya just take care out there."_

_Rogue heard the sound of someone hitting a brick wall. It was probably Carol. She had discounted Fred too soon._

The sooner Ah get this done, the sooner Ah can get out there an' help 'em./

"Ah found the bomb without a problem. It was situated deep in the ventilation system, in order to facilitate the spreading of the bio-weapon. Disabling it proved to be a bit trickier than Ah had expected, but, like Ah said, Mystique had taught meh everything she knew. An' Ah accessed a friend's psyche ta help meh out.

"The bomb was defused and the Brotherhood was defeated. The mission was an easy success. Everyone was accounted for except Kitty, Avalanche, and Mystique. As soon as Ah heard that, something tightened in mah gut. Ah knew that Kitty could take care of Avalanche, but Mystique? Her first priority would be savin' her own skin and not worryin' about anyone who got in her way. Ah tried to contact Kitty on her communicator. She didn't respond. Ah ran ta her last known location.

/_Rogue ran deeper and deeper into the basement of the coliseum. Piles of loose rubble marked the way that Avalanche had come and she wasn't too surprised to see a dazed Lance phased halfway through the ground. _

_She heard talking from around the corner. _

"_Mission accomplished, Kit-cat. It's time ta get goin'."_

_It was her own voice./_

Rogue swallowed, looking down. "Mystique had…approached Kitty in a form that she would trust. Mine."

_/Rogue knew that if she shouted a warning, Mystique would immediately attack. She didn't know if Kitty would be quick enough to automatically phase. She had no knowledge of the situation around the corner. _

_Rogue decided to sneak in and hoped to give Kitty some sort of warning before distracting Mystique./_

"Ah snuck into the room, making sure that Mystique didn't see meh. I saw that Kitty had wrapped a careful arm around Mystique's shoulders. It looked like she had a twisted ankle."

_/"Why are we going out this way? Shouldn't we rejoin the team?" Kitty asked as Mystique/Rogue led her away from the others._

"_Shortcut," Mystique/Rogue said. /_

"Ah wasn't quick enough. Kitty had started questioning Mystique. She was too smart and still too naïve for her own good. Ah took a breath to shout 'Phase!' knowing that she would listen. But Mystique saw meh first."

/_Rogue watched her/Mystique's eyes narrow in a moment of calculation. Two opponents stood between her and freedom. While a hostage would have been useful, it wasn't worth risking her freedom. She had the means of eliminating the most immediate risk in her hands._

_All this passed through Rogue/Mystique's eyes so quickly, that her decision was made even as Rogue shouted, "Phase, Kit! Phase!" /_

"Mystique attacked Kitty even as Ah shouted to warn her. It wasn't enough."

_/Mystique/Rogue tripped Kitty, and using the momentum followed through with a brutal blow to the trachea. _

_Kitty's body dropped to the ground with a muffled thud./_

"Ah saw the attack, but Ah was helpless ta stop it. Ah knew that move, Ah had been taught it, and Ah watched mah body execute it flawlessly. There was no way that Kitty was still alive. Still, Ah threw a physic blast at Mystique, knocking her back, and ran to take Kitty's pulse."

/_Rogue's hands were trembling as she reached down for a pulse. _

_Kitty's face was so pale…except for her mouth where blood had just stopped gurgling, spilling over her lips and dribbling down onto her chin._

_Rogue didn't need to take Kitty's pulse. Just looking into her lifeless, vacant eyes was enough. She was dead._

_Rogue turned to find Mystique. And it was a good thing too, because the blue woman had recovered and was attempting to slink off./_

"Ah lost it. Ah ran to intercept Mystique."

_/"Ya bitch. Ya're gonna pay for that."_

_Mystique morphed. "You so sure about that, Rogue?"/_

"Then Mystique took on Kitty's form. She couldn't help tauntin' meh with it, Ah suppose. Or she thought it would save her, distract meh, give her a chance ta get away. All it did was push meh into a place Ah've only been once or twice before. Every one else around meh started moving so slowly, and everythin' was clear and sharp. Precise. Ah knew that she wasn't Kitty, that Kitty was dead and that she had killed her, and that she had killed her lookin' like meh.

"Maybe Mystique would have stood a chance before that. After that…there was no way in hell. Ah killed her."

/_Rogue accessed two of her psyches: super speed and super strength._

_Mystique didn't stand a chance./_

"She was mah mother. She took meh in and raised me. She murdered and betrayed mah best friend. An' Ah killed her."

_/Mystique was an excellent hand-to-hand fighter. One of the best. But she had poured years of her life into training Rogue to be a perfect weapon. And that training had not been wasted._

_Mystique managed to land a kick on Rogue's side._

_Rogue grunted, then smirked and continued to attack. She didn't concentrate on striking killing blows, Rogue's intention was to beat Mystique into a ragged pulp._

_Mystique realized that this was a battle she could not win. She threw a handful of exploding powder in Rogue's face and turned to run._

_But when she turned around, Rogue was there. She had used her super-speed to avoid the powder and her knowledge of Mystique's techniques to anticipate the direction she was going to turn. _

_Rogue landed a solid punch in Mystique's side, hearing the ribs break. Then she really started fighting./_

"Ah cut her down like she was no more than a rabid dog."

_/Mystique had fallen to the ground, thoroughly beaten, too weak to even stand on her own, let alone struggle._

_Rogue picked her up by the neck and slowly began to squeeze. _

_She stared straight into Mystique's eyes, unblinking, as the light began to disappear from her yellow eyes./_

"An' the terrible thing is…Ah'm not sorry for it. Ah know Ah should be. She was mah mother, she was a life. But Ah'm not sorry she's dead. Ah'm not sorry Ah killed her. An' that terrifies me."

/_As Mystique's last breath rattled out of her throat, a strange calm came upon her face. She looked at Rogue with a faint gleam of triumph glowing in her fading yellow eyes. Then Mystique's eyes rolled back in her head and she died._

_Rogue felt Mystique's windpipe crush in her hands. She dropped the body to the ground./ _

"Because that means some part of what she did ta me worked. A human being would feel remorse about killin' her mama. Ah just wish Ah had gotten ta her sooner. All mah life Ah tried ta fight what she did ta me, what mah skin does ta people… But it's too late. Her trainin' was successful. There's a part of me that's nothing more than a weapon, waitin' ta be used. An' it's a lot bigger than Ah would like. An' Ah can lose ta it. An' sometimes, Ah'm scared that's all there is, that anythin' else is just a mask Ah put on so Ah can keep on livin'. An' if that's true, then Ah should do the world a favor an' stop tryin'. Because Ah'm too dangerous ta fall into anyone's hands."

Rogue wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. She stared at him with dry eyes as empty as a skeleton's sockets. She was emanating pain and guilt and self-loathing for what she knows she's been, what she knows she can become…

Remy wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. He suddenly understood _exactly_ why she hates her mutation. Not being able to touch is the easiest part of it to deal with. He wants to reach for her, to hold her against him and let her cry, assure her that weapons don't ever doubt like she's doubting, that she's flesh and blood and human like him, and anyone could see that it was Mystique who had been messed up, who had messed _her _up, and that Mystique deserved to die, and if Rogue hadn't killed her he would have hunted Mystique down and killed her himself… He had too much to say, and wasn't able to say anything at all.

Then his chance was gone as Rogue blinked, and that fire that he's so enraptured with returned to her gaze--it's full of acceptance, passion, and forgiveness…for anyone but herself. Before he can speak, she's forging on, shifting the focus off of her confession and on to her original point.

"So now ya see why Ah really don't care what you do. Ah ain't in no position to judge ya, and Ah don't judge the ones Ah take down. Ah just stop 'em. Ah've got other things to worry about, like who Mystique was workin' for, an' so does my team. So Ah can't for the life of meh figure out why so much time and energy is being put into finding out how to crush your Guild. They're telling me that y'all are working on something 'big' but all that Ah've seen is unrelated, very classy, heists. It doesn't make any sense!"

Sensing that any attempt to talk about what she had just revealed to him would be violently shot down by Rogue, Remy only responded to the matter at hand, "Maybe ya only saw what we wanted y' t' see."

Rogue raised an eyebrow skeptically, "Ya gonna tell meh that y'all are trying ta take over the world?"

"_Non_."

"That you're trying ta make mutants the dominant species through genocide?"

"_Non_."

"That you're running around killing people for the heck of it?"

"_Non_. Not even de Assassins do dat."

"So why the heck should Ah care what ya do?"

"Y' don't care 'bout me?"

Rogue banged her head against the wall that she was resting against. "That's not what Ah meant and ya know it."

Remy smirked, "So ya do care about me."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "It's all about ya, huh Cajun?"

"_Oui_. Stop avoiding de question."

"What do ya think?" Rogue gritted sweetly.

"I t'ink you're madly in love with me an' dat de only reason why your ot'er hand is folding into a fist right now is so ya can avoid jumping me an' having your wicked way wit' me."

"Ya are such a moron," she couldn't help but laugh.

"Takes one t' know one, _chere_."

"What do ya mean by that?" Rogue said cautiously.

"I mean what kind of moron takes de responsibility for de acts of every one around dem? It's hard enough being responsible for what ya can control, let alone what ya can't."

"Don't ya think Ah know that?" she hissed and yanked her naked hand out of his grip, moving to put on a glove.

He caught her wrist before she could do it.

"Don't." His eyes locked on hers, intense, passionate. _Don't shut me out again. _

"Get off of me." She meets his gaze, her eyes narrowed.

"I ain't on ya, _chere_. But I can fix that," and like a blink he had her pinned to the floor, trapping her legs with his and pressing her wrists to the floor. "Dere. Now I'm on y'."

"Oh goody," Rogue said flatly. "Now get off."

"_Non_, I'm comfortable. Y' nice an' soft, _mon cherie_." Remy let his body relax against hers, teasing her with a faint press of his form against hers.

"I ain't yours!" Rogue shouted and bucked him off of her.

He hadn't been expecting that, and the sudden press of her body fully flush against his stirred him so that he didn't even notice how sore he was from being thrown.

"Now how'd y' do dat, _chere_?" he said softly.

"Ah accessed someone's super strength. Not important. Now are y' gonna help me or not?"

"Wit' what?" Remy moved to lean against the wall again.

"With figuring out what mah 'superiors' are hidin' from me?"

Gambit saw an opportunity, and took it. He slumped against the wall, "I ain't sure dat you're gonna want me t' help y' after y' hear what I have t' say."

"Why? Ya gonna tell me that ya really _are_ tryin' ta take over the world?"

Remy shook his head. "Y' keep talkin' about de big generic stuff, _chere_. Dere are more personal crimes dat can be even worse."

Rogue stilled. She knew about personal crimes. Betrayal was a personal crime. Murder was a personal crime. She had been betrayed and she had murdered. She knew these crimes were just as important as the "big generic stuff," and that they hurt like hell. But they weren't her job--unless she came across something she could stop. Then her 'overdeveloped sense of justice' would inevitably kick in. "What are ya trying ta tell me, Swamp rat?"

His shoulders caved in even more, and he murmured something that she couldn't hear.

"What was that?"

Remy sighed and averted his eyes as they flickered and started to burn. "It's hard t' talk 'bout."

"Ah just spilt mah guts ta ya. If you've got something ya need ta say, say it. Ah told ya, Ah ain't in the judging business."

"Remy knows dat, _chere_. He knows dat for sure," he breathed.

The switch to third person alerted her, but she couldn't figure out what he was trying to trick her about.

"It's just," he shrugged, "Maybe y' could--I mean, so I wouldn't leave anyt'ing out--maybe ya could just take 'em?"

Rogue drew back, her eyes wide, "Ya askin' me ta touch ya, Cajun?"

He chuckled, "_Mais oui_, I t'ink I've been asking y' t' touch me since we met."

"But…"

"Please, _chere_. Y' need t' know. An' I don' t'ink I can tell ya."

She thought about insisting that he told her. Did she really want his dirty Cajun mind running around in hers all day? _Well, it's not like ya don't think of him all the time anyway. An' at least in your mind ya can make him shut-up. An' he can't lie to ya this way._

She took a breath. "OK, Ah'll do it. Don't worry, it'll be quick."

"_Merde, chere_. You're actin' like you're gonna give Remy a shot! De way he sees it, ya can touch him as long as ya want." He threw her a careless sensual grin.

Rogue rolled her eyes and crawled over to him as he lay splayed against the opposite wall.

She stretched out her bare hand. "Ya sure ya don't want ta just tell me?"

Mais oui, chere._ I just want ta be inside you anyway I can. You're already inside me, _cherie_. An' if this works the way I t'ink it will…it gives me a chance t' go about it de more traditional way._

"Remy's sure."

"And are _ya_ sure?" she asked pointedly, her eyes narrowing.

Merde_! I never realized my t'ird person was such a tell! Must be because I didn't start talkin' in first person til' she slammed me 'bout it._

"I'm sure," he said.

She still hesitated.

"I want ya t' do dis," he insisted.

"OK," she said.

Then she gently placed her hand on his cheek.

Rogue waited for the power transfer to start. Moments passed but nothing happened.

Nothing happened.

She snatched her hand back, "What the hell!"

Remy let out a low whistle. "Well, will y' look at dat," he said blandly.

Rogue stared at her hand, eyes wide. Then she touched his face again, longer this time. Still, nothing happened.

Nothing happened!

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. _So this is what stubble feels like. This is touch._

Remy didn't think she'd look and feel so scared. He didn't know how he thought she'd react, but wide-eyed shock wasn't it. In an attempt to stir some life to her eyes--and hell, because he really wanted to--he turned his face so that he could brush a kiss against her naked palm.

Rogue shuddered. He felt fear from her still, but it was soon overwhelmed with pure pleasure. She closed her eyes, not moving her hand, not doing anything. _This is touch._

_Mon Dieu, her hand is soft. _He fought against the urge to kiss it again. He just let his lips rest on her palm._ If her hand is this soft, then what about the rest of her…_

"Rogue," he murmured against her palm, his lips caressing it as he spoke. "Y' OK, _chere_?"

She shuddered again, and to his body's aching protest, she removed her hand. "Ah'm sorry. Ah didn't mean ta…"

He stripped off his glove in a moment and reclaimed her hand. "_Non, chere_! Didn't I tell ya, y' could touch me as long as y' wanted?"

She looked up at him, her eyes still wide. _Touch. It's been ten years! God, thank ya! Ah can touch! Ah can touch Remy._

Merde_, she's still in shock. _"Rogue, are y' OK?" his voice was worried.

She looked at their bare hands sitting with their fingers intertwined. "Ah didn't do anythin' different. How is this possible?" she breathed. She looked up to him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Remy shrugged, "T'ink maybe ya were more right den y' t'ought about dat kinetic energy force field."

"Woah," she said. "No wonder Hank bought it."

_Hank. _He filed the name away. _She must still be in shock._

She looked up at him with wonder and trust. "What do we do now?"

_I can t'ink of a few things. Woah! Down, boy! De girl's in shock, d'ya wanna scare her away? D'ya wanna take her when she's not even sure what she's doing? _

While he fought to control himself, she looked down at their hands again. "So…we're not really touching? This isn't…real?"

_She's scared again. Guilty _again_, damnit! _

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckle.

She raised her eyes to his again.

He kissed her knuckle again and nipped it gently.

She didn't blush, but she smiled. A real, true, and genuine face-splitting grin.

He returned the grin, "Feels like it t' me, _chere_. Sure feels like we're touching t' me."

She shook her head in a small, wondering motion and started to laugh.

Her laughter was music that made the heavens envious. It was light and air. It showered around them in golden notes and Remy knew that he would guard the innocence that let her laugh like that with his dying breath.

"_Mon Dieu_," he whispered. "You're so beautiful, _chere_."

Rogue blushed again, but she grinned, and sniffed back a few tears that had made their way out during her laughter. She raised the still gloved hand to wipe them away, but Remy caught it with his hand.

"_Non_," he said. "Let me."

Rogue bit her lip and nodded. He stuck his glove in his teeth and pulled it off. Then he lifted his bare hand and placed his palm on her cheek, using his thumb to gently wipe her tears away.

She shivered into his touch.

Once again, Remy stopped himself from kissing her. _It's de little things she needs right now. Keep it light for now. Just wait. Ya can wait. Oh, her skin is so smooth, so soft…_

He couldn't help himself. He ran his thumb across her full lips.

She shivered against it and--it seemed involuntary--pressed her lips to his thumb for a brief second.

Remy smiled and forced himself to remove his hand and sit back.

He let himself watch her, drinking in her beauty. Her eyes were opened. They were open, and they were letting him, and he was sinking into their emerald depths and slipping inside of her and he almost felt like he deserved it because he could touch her and he hadn't pushed her. And she was letting him in.

"Ah can touch ya," she whispered.

"_Oui_," and he grinned. _She's _une ange_. A perfect _ange.

She laughed again and shook her head. "Wow. Ah wasn't expecting that."

"So what do ya want t' do now?" he asked softly. _Say ya want me t' kiss y'. _Say it_. Say ya want me t' touch ya. Say ya want me t' show ya what ya've been missing, what ya never have t' miss again._

Rogue blinked and looked away from his eyes.

He felt like the sun went out.

"Ah think…Ah think. Well, there are a few things we could do."

His ears perked up at the words 'we' and 'do,' but he had a sinking feeling that she was going to make him wait.

"Ah could actually try ta activate mah powers," she said. "Usually they're just on--but Ah've been working on making them more gentle for the sake of the people Ah absorb. So it doesn't hurt them as much, y'see. Ah figure Ah could probably absorb your force field if Ah really tried…or maybe ya could try an' lower it…but Ah don't really want t' do that. Maybe ya could just tell me what it was that ya wanted ta show me?"

She was making him wait.

He released her hand gently and shifted away from her.

She made a small noise of protest.

"What, did y' want t' hold my hand while I told m' story?" Remy mocked her gently.

"Yes!" she said and snatched it back.

He couldn't help but laugh at her; she was adorable when she was childish.

"Well, OK den. I'll let ya. An' I didn't even make ya sing," he smirked and ran his thumb along hers. _So soft._

"Remy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank ya."

"_Pas un problème, chere._"

"No, Ah mean, thank ya for lettin' me hold your hand. An' for not… Ah mean, it's just, Ah'm trying ta figure out what ta do. 'Cause just because ya _can_ do something doesn't mean ya _should_ do it, ya know? Please tell me ya understand."

He looked at her and pushed his empathy towards her. She was feeling elation, yes; pleasure, yes; lust, yes. But also concern--not for herself, but because she didn't want to hurt him. _She _didn't want to hurt _him_! When was the last time someone had worried about that? And there, shimmering to the side, slowly coloring the rest of her emotions, was the beginning of true affection.

_She doesn't want t' use me, _he suddenly understood. _She's been used so much herself, she doesn't want t' do it t' me. She t'inks dat she'd be taking advantage of me! Of me! _He stared at her in shock. _She's even more beautiful inside den she is outside. Tough as nails when it comes t' her work, but anything else…damn._

And for the first time in God knew how long, Remy LeBeau felt something stir in his heart. Something that wasn't lust, tolerance, amusement, or even affection. Something that looked and felt a lot like love. And for the very first time, he wasn't afraid of the feeling. Because she let him look into her soul and he knew that she didn't want to use him.

He suddenly thought about the story he was about to tell her. _Mon Dieu, what if I lose her because of dis._

'_Ah ain't in the business of makin' judgments.' _Her voice floated up from memory. _I'm gonna hold ya t' dat one, _chere.

"I killed m' wife."

* * *

Translation: "Pas un problème, chere." "Not a problem, dear." 

AN: In the words of Will Hunting: "How do you like _them_ apples?"  
Sorry for the cliffy folks, I just didn't want to sully this chapter with that woman's name. And before I get stones thrown at me for the lack of contact, first of all: I did warn you. Where? Chapter title. 'Almost Touching.' Almost. Secondly, my reasoning is this: Rogue's gone for ten years without knowing human touch. The slightest thing for her right now is sensory overload. The faintest brush of Remy's lips on her hand is doing more for her than a full kiss for an 'normal' girl. Remy, being Remy, knows this. So even though he wants a whole stinkin' lot more, he's giving her what she enjoys, what she needs. All together now: Aww. Plus, the girl's in shock. And Remy won't take advantage of her. Since when? Well, since he's spent the last who-knows-how-many-hours being steeped in her pain. He wants to take care of her. And if that means he has to go agonizingly slowly, he figures at least he's going.  
Ugh, I really _didn't _like killing Kitty. But at least now you all know what happened. If you guys really want to know why Kitty left the X-men, I can write a little one-shot-type-thing for ya. But she never told Rogue the whole truth of it, and it's not like Rogue would tell Remy even if she did. She wouldn't think it was any of his business. Confession: I got slightly freaked out writing Mystique's death scene. Hope it didn't put too much of a damper on the Romy. Speaking of which…what did you think of my Romy?  
Favorite line: In an attempt to stir some life to her eyes--and hell, because he really wanted to--he turned his face so that he could brush a kiss against her naked palm. Close second: "Oh goody," Rogue said flatly. "Now get off."

Review responses:  
Wow, look at all the reviews! Coolness!

ishandahalf  
Heh, heh, thank you for your review, it made me grin. Yeah, I don't know how Rogue is going to react when she finds out about Remy's empathy…it's a problem…I'm working on it…  
Glad you liked the tweaking to her backstorey, I mean, I didn't want to mess with too much, but I had a slightly different direction I was heading with her mutation…as you can see by this chapter, I think. And I'm _so glad_ you liked the charging of the roof, because I was struggling like _forever_ trying to figure out a way to get in his anger and protectiveness without interrupting the story too much.  
So…what do you think? Hope you liked how Remy finally figured it out. I've been curious about what you would think about this chapter since I wrote it months ago (well, I had the Romyness written months ago…just filled in all the hard flashback stuff today. Man, I wish I had saved some sweet writing for now, because I was somewhat overwhelmed.)  
rubic-cube  
Don't you feel psychic now? Enjoy!  
WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc  
Thank you. Here ya go!  
Realtfarraige  
I loved your review! Yes, I think Rogue probably did too…if she wasn't too nervous. Yeah, I know, Cody's mom…I went back and added that she came in and was speaking with Cody's voice, but it's still low and scary. I agree. I'm glad you liked my little 'tales of the Brotherhood Boys.' They were fun to write. Yes, now that we know Carol's promise, the secretisim is all the more suspicious. I, of course, have been suspicious from the beginning, but then again, I knew where this was going… (rolls eyes at herself) I'm glad you liked the roof-charge. I worked hard on getting something that would convey his anger and protectiveness without interrupting the story too much, and was _so excited_ when I thought of that. Yeah, I hope he tells her sometime too. And now, he's in love!  
So…what did you think?  
helppuppie  
Cool, I'm glad you liked 'em! Hope you liked this one too!  
mucho like... cant really review rite now - lol, im printin da last 2 chapters so i can read on my way home.. but so far so greaT - love da plot!  
enchantedlight  
A review from you is like a stamp of approval on a chapter. Thank you. Hope you like this one too.  
Roguechere  
Sadly, we must wait for Bishop. But this is what happened to Kitty. What do you think? Hope it worked… Glad you liked the pulse thing, I did too.  
Fingers905  
Thank you much! Hope you enjoyed this one as well.  
Sweety8587  
Oh dear…pink…not good… Yeah, long story, I know. This is the "let's talk" part of the story. Soon it will be the "let's " part of the story…can't tell you what, of course, wouldn't want to give it away… You're right about Remy's emotions, I never thought of that…man, no wonder he charges the roof. So, what say you?  
bored247  
I know what you mean! Well, here ya go. What do you think?  
Chica De Los Ojos Cafe  
LOL, yes ma'am! Here ya go! Hope you liked!  
Spicy Sweet  
I can't really tell you what Carol is hiding, but you'll find out soonish. I'm glad you liked it. And now, though it's been (sorta) slow in coming, there is Romy. Hope you don't think it comes too fast, but I totally buy in the fact that Remy starts to love her after seeing so much of her. Anyways…enjoy!  
Chained2aMask  
Aww, thanks! Hope you liked this one too. I love this chapter, personally.  
Kitsu Lebeau  
How cool is that, that you read it at work! I mean, I guess I should feel bad for interrupting your work day…but I don't! I'm really glad it caught and held your attention! So…here ya go. Hope you enjoy!  
pinkpunkmonkey  
Thank you!  
wrapped in banana foil  
Lizbeth, totally understandable! Well, hope you enjoy this one when you get around to it! I love reading your reviews.  
Le Rossignol de la Soiree  
Well, I've finally decided on a name for Stolen Heart's Rogue…look for an update there sometime this weekend.  
Yeah, it's in his best interests because 1. It's good for the Guild to find out what FORCE wants and 2. He gets to have more of a chance at being with/seducing our favorite Rogue. LOL, and true, he might have had some trouble walking…  
I understand your point about Cody's mom, but my experience has led me to believe that people do not always react rationally when they're confronted with things that threaten what they love. Having your son's best friend coming back from the river--alone--talking in the same voice as your son and thinking that she _is_ your son definitely falls in that category. I've run through several other scenarios in my mind that involve a not-beating…and they're all equally irrational except for the one where Mrs. Robbins calmly calls up Irene the first time. Which I don't see happening either. So… :shrug:  
I don't mind at all you pointing out that I got into overdramatic dialogue. I tend to shudder when I read that stuff too. And I went back and edited it. The thing is though, people talk differently when they tell stories--writing a narrative told in dialogue has been more challenging than I thought it would be. But I appreciate your critique.  
I'm glad you liked that line. I actually struggled with it quite a bit before I got it the way that I liked it. So good. :0)  
I also love the Romy banter…as you can tell. Hope you enjoyed it here.  
PS. Yeah, I like that name. Being with "Shira" my whole life has given me great…can't think of the right word right now…we're gonna go with sympathy for others with unique names. I'd love to hear the naming story sometime. I got mine through tradition and a dream.  
IvyZoe  
How cool are you, reviewing each and every chapter! Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Hope you enjoy this one as well.  
Rogue151  
I also wish I could have written Mystique nicer--with more of a heart--but for this story, I'm writing a lot of people in ways that I don't really like. So…yeah… Hope you enjoy this chapter, despite her gruesome death.  
toxic-touch-727  
Well, now you found out what happened to Kitty. Sad, isn't it? Made me sad, anyway…  
Lol, actually, I don't know all that much. I'm just researching enough so that I can write this story half-way credibly.  
Yeah, no Jean or Scott…they're not at all important here, it's not about them. Though they will be in Stolen Hearts.  
I think you have to make the exploding pie yourself…just be careful that it doesn't go off in the oven!  
Well, I'm really glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, hope that you liked this one too.  
Lyrit Liltrick  
Sorry work's wearin' ya out. It's summer! Go do something fun in the sun! (Maybe I should listen to my own advice…oh wait, I burn in the sun.) Stargate said that about Elizabeth Huxley? I don't remember that…and I thought I had seen all of them. Who said it, Jack? Anyway, I hope you enjoy!  
Eileen Blazer  
You're probably going to kill me for the way I killed Kitty, aren't you. But at least now you know what I meant when Pete told Rogue that 'she did the necessary' back in chapter seven.  
Your review made me so happy! I was thinking of holding out posting it until I had heard from you, (also because it was being very slippery to write), but then--hey--I didn't have to! I painted my room last summer, and I can understand…  
Alias-esque is very cool, though I don't intend any extra suspicion with FORCE being so independent, I just wanted to make it clear that there wasn't really anyone Rogue could go to and say "Help! My team has been taken over by pod people!" An oversight on their part, really…  
Heh, yes, the latex glove. Thank you for your restraint. Tryin' to keep it "T," and whatnot. ;0)  
Aww, I'm glad you liked their interaction. And that you liked the blushing bit--for some reason, I could just _see _her doing that. So yeah, good. was I hope you like this bit too. Banter and sweetness and whatnot... Personally, I love it when Rogue says "Oh goody." in this chapter. She's just all the false niceness--get off me before I kill you--in the world. Anyhoo…  
Not so much dull as…well…not memorable…I remember being somewhat bored…and then really excited at the end. I dunno, some parts were definitely cool, like how he had the painting copied and the dog bits… anyways, like a good little fan-girl, I went back and found where my inspiration sprung from in TFC--it's when Mystique is talking about what she did to her accountant.  
So very glad that you loved it! That makes me happy even now, when I'm dead tired from typing this chapter and writing all the review responses. So…enjoy! I hope!


	11. Upping the Ante

**Disclaimer**: Once again, I DO NOT OWN THE X-MEN. Thank you for listening. Also, I don't speak French, yet, there is French in this chapter. How is that possible? Through Babelfish. If it gives you a problem, let me know and I'll fix it!

/_I'm a little flashback, short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my spout…/_

* * *

Chapter eleven: Upping the Ante 

Rogue stilled completely for a moment.

Remy was staring at her like he expected her to get up and walk away or slug him.

So Rogue cocked her lips into a half a smile and said, "Ya got anythin' ya want ta add ta that, Cajun?

He blinked and rubbed his free hand across his chin and mouth. He already felt the memories rushing back through him, leaving him chilled. He had tried so hard to forget, to push the memories back and forget the pain…but they were always there, lurking in the back of his mind, waiting for any excuse to pounce…

_It would be so much easier just to have her take dem…and den have her go t'rough all dat I felt?_ Merde_, what kind of coward am I? De_ fille's_ been hurt enough, _non_? I can get t'rough dis._

"It's kinda hard t' know where t' start," Remy said finally.

Rogue raised her eyebrows, "Well, ya did just take a lot of suspense out of the story, sugah. Why don't ya tell me _why_ ya killed her, and we'll go from there?"

Remy absently rubbed his thumb across the smooth flesh of her palm. He felt her draw in a shuddering breath and concealed a smirk. "It's easier t' start out wit' why I got married."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Then start there!"

"Lesse," Remy exhaled, trying to sort out his thoughts. "Well, y' know dat Remy be de Prince of T'ieves, _non_?"

"Am Ah gonna hafta sit through ya talkin' in third person this whole story?"

He mock scowled at her, "Ya not makin' dis any easier wit' your interrupting, _femme_."

Rogue chuckled. She sensed that the exact opposite was the case. She could tell that Remy wasn't used to talking about things that hurt. Hell, she wasn't either. But where she needed to be nearly ignored in order to get through talking about it, Remy needed to be able to laugh about it. He would always choose to laugh. She could see it in the way a careless smile lurked around the corners of his lips even as he was glaring at her.

_His lips….No! Concentrate! Not on his lips, ya fool! _The pressure of his skin on her hand, his warmth covering her, was driving her mad. But it was a sweet ride.

"Ya gonna continue or just sit here an' hold mah hand all day?"

"_Un homme _will take what he can get," he winked at her.

She rolled her eyes again. Funny, that had never been much of a habit _before _she met Remy. "Ya were sayin'."

"Well, de reason why I'm called de Prince of T'ieves isn't just 'cause of m' not inconsiderable skills. M' _pere_ is de King of T'ieves, de leader of de Guild. I'm his youngest son, by adoption."

"Adoption?"

Remy nodded, "_Oui_. I don' remember m' birth parents either. Tried de orphanage t'ing for a while--it didn't take. Eyes like dese, in N'Awlins… let's just say it didn't make for a pleasant experience, _hein_? Ran away from de orphanage when I was five, six, I dunno. Don't know m' birt'day, so it's hard t' tell. Took t' de streets. Learned quick how t' do what it took t' survive."

"How long were ya on the streets?"

Remy shrugged, "Dunno. Four, five years?"

Rogue blinked, impressed and saddened. She had barely made it through living on the streets for three months. And she had been older. "Damn. How'd ya manage it?"

"Got t' be a damn good pick pocket. De eyes--dey helped me hold m' own in a fight. Usually it was just kids pickin' on kids, an' dey got scared. Got so's I started attrackin' attention, an' a gang of older kids took me in. Like a workin' mascot. Wasn't too bad, den, actually."

/_His hand dipped in and out of the businessman's pocket and he was gone before the man even realized that he had bumped into him._

_Remy waited until he was safely in Fagan's gang territory before he took out the wallets he had collected on Bourbon St. His skilled, grubby fingers automatically discarded pictures and business cards, focusing on credit cards--they could be fenced, everyone in the gang was still too young to be able to use them credibly--and cash. He hid some of the cash on various hard-to-find places on his body, and some of it on more obvious places--he would be shook down by the leader, it was better to let him think that he found what he was looking for--and rolled the rest of it in a worn rubber band. _

_He grinned. The day had been profitable. They would eat well tonight./_

A shadow of haunted memory crossed Remy's face. Rogue didn't know what to say to urge him on, so she waited.

"We didn't t'ink much beyond our next meal. We had shelter in a run-down apartment building, paid tribute t' de big gang, an' de ot'er ones, dey left us pretty much alone. We were good, we pretty much always had enough t' eat, an' we kept clean. Easier t' get close t' steal from someone if y' don' stand out too much. People get suspicious of dirty little kids, even if dey're clueless 'bout anyt'ing else. Dis kept on til I was about nine or ten. Den one day I was working', an' I came across _un homme _wit' a real swagger in his step. His right pocket was saggin' somet'ing fierce an' I figured--easy mark, get de goods an' be done fo' de day early. I approached de man wit' m' usual confidence an' skill--"

Rogue snorted.

Remy grandly ignored her and continued his story, "an' to m' utmost shock, de man caught m' wrist jus' as I was slippin' m' hand into his pocket."

/"_Don' y know better den t' steal from de King of T'ieves,_ garcon_?"_

_Remy lifted his head and gave a fake whimper, prepared to run as soon as the man loosened his grip._

_The man laughed and tightened his grip._

_Remy glared at him._

_The man removed Remy's sunglasses with his other hand. He stared into Remy's blazing red eyes for a moment, then said, "De _Diable Blanc_. I heard of y'. Tell ya what, pup. Why don' ya come an work with me, an' we can put dose quick hands of yours t' a real challenge?" _

"_Do I got a choice?"_

_The man laughed again, "What's your name, _garcon_?"_

_The boy glared up at the man who still hadn't let go of his wrist. The man was going against all of his expectations…except for one thing…he wanted him to come and work for him…he could work with that…"Remy."_

"_From now on, ya name be Remy LeBeau. Come with me,_ fils._" _

_The man let go of his wrist and turned to walk away, expecting Remy to follow._

_Remy stared at the man's back, knowing that he could run. But he never was one to back away from a challenge. He didn't run after the man--even then, he knew better than to seem too eager--but he followed him through the crowded streets. /_

"Dat man be _mon pere_, Jean-Luc LeBeau. He took me in from dat day on an' trained m' t' be de best dere is. But dat ain't all he did. He didn't hafta adopt me, but he did. He gave me a family, not just a place t' eat an' sleep, but a real _family_. I don't know if I can say how…different dat made everyt'ing."

"Yeah, Ah can see how it would," Rogue said softly.

He gave her a long considering look. "Y' really can, can't ya."

It slowly dawned on each of them that the person sitting across from them was one of those most rare commodities in life--a person who could actually, genuinely understand the other.

It was an uncomfortable moment, tense with an indefinable emotion. Each felt as if they had peeked into something private, and felt as if they should look away, but couldn't.

Remy's grip on Rogue's hand tightened.

Rogue felt his calluses press into her soft skin and her stomach clenched, tingling. She wanted to drop her gaze and break the moment, sever whatever connection was forming between them. But something deep within her would not allow it.

They held each other's gaze in the thick air until the moment stretched on just an instant too long. One side of Remy's mouth quirked up and Rogue dropped her gaze.

The silence was fast becoming awkward. Rogue decided to help it along. "So just like that ya were made the Prince of Thieves?"

Remy snorted in mock insult, "It wasn't 'just like dat,' _fille_. It was years of backbreaking training, day and day out. Livin' wit' m' family, ya never knew what could be a test or when it would come. But still, it was a good time. Dey were _mon famille. _Got into all sorts of trouble with m' cousins an' _mon frere_--we were notorious," he couldn't help but grin.

"Ah'm sure ya were," Rogue drawled.

Remy grinned at her, eyes glinting mischievously, "I'll hafta show y' why sometime."

"Be still mah beatin' heart," Rogue said dryly. "Wasn't there something else ya were tryin' ta tell me?"

Remy reached up with his free hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. Well, I mentioned somet'ing 'bout de Assassin's Guild earlier, _non_?"

Rogue nodded.

"Well, de T'ieves Guild and de Assassins Guild were bot' founded by de same person. But fo' some forgotten reason, dey both been feudin' for years. Worse den de Hatfields and de McCoys. De feud was tearin' N'Awlins apart. But den it started interfearin' wit' business. An' neither side could stand fo' dat. So _mon pere _and de leader of de Assassins drew up a peace contract. But dey had t' come up wit' somet'ing t' seal it wit'. When I was t'irteen, dey figured it out an' announced de engagement of deir son and daughter, Remy LeBeau and Bella Donna Boudreaux."

He cast her a sidelong glance, "What, no comments from de peanut gallery?"

Rogue smirked. He obviously needed more prodding. "Well, Ah'd say 'aren't ya a little young ta be married,' or something else along the lines of 'aren't ya a little short ta be a storm trooper,' (1) but that doesn't really seem applicable. Since obviously ya _were_ married, an' you're having a hard enough time telling me the story as it is. If it's too difficult for ya, Ah understand--"

"_Non_!"

"No, really, Ah know how hard it is ta get through talkin' about emotionally traumatic experiences. Ah'll understand if ya can't take it."

He narrowed his eyes. "I get de picture, Rogue."

She smiled sweetly at him, "'Cause if it's too much…"

Remy humphed. He would have crossed his arms and sulked, but that would have meant letting go of Rogue's hand. "'Course we didn't get _married_ when we were t'irteen. Dat was just when we were told about de engagement. Neither of us paid it much mind til' we were sixteen, right before I left t' go on m' Tilling."

"Tilling?"

"S'like de big initiation into de Guild. Ya do one job wit' a sponsor, an' if ya do a good job, y're in. Anyway, a few months before I left, I started runnin' into Bella more an' more. We started datin'--figured we might as well get t' know each ot'er a bit. 'Sides, she was _belle._ Den I left t' go on m' Tilling…bad stuff happened on dat trip. Real bad stuff.

/_He ran to Notre Dame. He couldn't get there fast enough. Something terrible had already happened._

_The monster stood on the roof of the cathedral. Two writhing bundles were attacked to two long cords the ends of which were tied securely to the roof._

_Henri. And Genny. Dangling head first off the roof, held from their deaths by two strong cords tied to the rooftop. The monster crouched over the knots, his long nails extended like five knives hovering above the rope. He leered down at Remy.  
_

"_Give me the necklace, and I'll only let one of them drop."_

_Genevieve called out to him, but he didn't hear her. He didn't have much of a choice. Remy clenched his teeth in fury and frustration. "Save Henri," he tossed the necklace up to the monster._

_The monster caught it, and cut the cord with his sharp nails._

_Genevieve fell, screaming to her death. Remy couldn't look away. He couldn't tear himself away from her eyes. He heard the _thud _as her body hit the ground, the _crack _as her neck snapped._

_Furious, he scanned the rooftop for any sign of the monster._

_Sabertooth was gone. _

_Remy managed to make it to the top of the roof to haul up Henri before he broke down in tears./_

"I got back, I was a mess. Bella really helped me t'rough it. She comforted me when I needed it an' smacked me into shape when I was moping. T'ought I could trust her. I fell in love with her. She said she loved me. De wedding was all set. I was seventeen."

Remy paused and took in a ragged breath. "Bella Donna had an older brother, a real crazy bastard by de name of Julien. He had never approved of de peace, or of m' marriage t' Bella. I expected him t' show up an' do somet'ing stupid t' stop de ceremony. He didn't. De marriage went off without a hitch. He waited til dat night…

/_"Where's m' blushin' bride?" Remy called cheerfully as he opened the door to the exclusive honeymoon suite in the best hotel in New Orleans. They had agreed to spend the wedding night at home before flying out to Paris for their honeymoon. Bella thought that going back to that city with her would be good for him. Remy thought that going anywhere with Bella would be good for him./_

"After de celebration that night I came back t' de honeymoon suite. Bella had gone up early. Said she wanted 'to prepare.' Probably de truest t'ing she ever said t' me. It was dark in de living room section of the suite, the door t' de bedroom was closed. I started walking towards it when Julien jumped me. If de idiot had used a gun, he would have had a clear shot. But he said he wanted t' make me bleed, an' a gun would be too quick. He tried t' use a sword instead.

/"_You're a fool, Julien! Y' tryin' t' destroy de peace?" Remy shouted as he dodged a blow that came far too close to his stomach. _Why de hell didn't I keep m' bo with me? Oh right. My wedding day. Of peace. Wouldn't want de appearance of a weapon t' spoil t'ings.

"_Not hardly, t'ief. Ya ain't good enough fo' ma _sœur _and ya ain't able t' lead de Guilds. Dis ends tonight."_

"_I agree," Remy said, and threw the charged key at Julien's shoulder. The electronic pass card flew just as well as a playing card _

_Julien cried out, dropping his sword and clutching his shoulder. He began cursing in French._

_Remy clicked his tongue at him as he kicked the dropped sword into his grasp. "Such language. Is dat any way t' congratulate your _beau-frère_?"_

_Julien attempted to stumble forward and charge him._

_Remy neatly sidestepped him and clocked Julien on the head with the pummel of the sword._

_Julien slumped unconscious to the floor._

"_Crazy fool," Remy muttered. His glance shifted to the closed bedroom door. "If y' did anyt'ing t' Bella Donna, I swear I'll come back here an' kill y' with m' bare hands./_

"I didn't kill him. He was m' brot'er-in-law after all. Knocked him unconscious after disabling him. Went into de bedroom t' check on Bella--see why she didn't come out during de fight an' all. I hoped she was OK. She was fine. She stood by de mantle in a long white negligee holding a glass of champagne in her hand. Her glass dropped t' de floor when she saw me.

/_"R-Remy! Y're bleedin'! What was all dat racket out dere?"_

_Remy wiped the blood off of the corner of his lip. "Your _frère fou_ was waitin' t' attack me. We need t' call someone t' take care of him before he bleeds t' deat' on de carpet."_

"_Stupid idiot never could do anyt'ing right."_

"Quoi_?"/ _

"She tol' me dat she had been expecting Julien t' walk through de door. And that since he had botched up the job, now she would have to finish it. So we fought. Don' really wanna talk about de details.

_/Blonde braids flew up as Bella ducked to try and kick his feet out from under him._

_The thud of flesh on flesh as he grabbed her wrist and forced her to drop a knife._

_The strangled cry she made as he wrestled her to the floor._

"_What are ya tryin' t' do here, Bella?"_

"_Would tink dat would be obvious, _cher_. I take y' out, take out y' family, an who's left t' be de leader of de Guild but _moi_?" She grinned at him, "It was fun, Remy, but I'm far better off wit' ya dead."_

_Her long legs wrapped around his neck and she reversed their positions. Another knife flashed in her hand as she struck down. He moved out of the way quickly enough to stop the killing the blow--the blade lodged itself in his shoulder._

_Remy growled and threw her off of him, quickly standing. Bella had scrambled and picked up the knife that had been discarded on the floor._

_She started circling him like a vulture._

"_Face it Remy, y' got played. Like with what y' did t' dat little French _fille_. What was her name? Penny? Ginny? Do y' even remember,_ cher_?"_

"_Stop dis, Bella." _

"_Tell me somet'ing--do ya still dream of her? Of her mouth falling open in a horrified scream as she fell, spiraling down… Was dere betrayal in her eyes, or just terror?"_

"_I did what I had t' t' save Henri. Ya _don' hafta do dis."

_She laughed. "Don' ya get it, _cher_? I _want _t' do dis. Dis is de way de game ends. Ya know, at first I t'ought maybe I would keep y' around fo' a while. After all, ya're pretty good in bed. But it made more sense t' attack de night of de wedding. Your family's probably all drunk, celebratin', deir guard is down…makes for a very convenient time t' strike. I'm done wit' ya, Remy, ya served your purpose, now it's time fo' ya t' die."/_

"Her plan all came out as we were fighting. She had only agreed t' marry me so dat dey could kill me. Then toget'er, she and Julien would kill the rest of m' family. And den dey would be proclaimed de leaders of de Unified Guilds. Bella was a much better fighter dan Julien. An' I was mad--hurt. An' she wouldn't stay down. She kept threatening t' come after me and my family. Dere was nothing else I could do."

/_"Ya really gonna do dis, _cher_? Ya really gonna fight me? I ain't stoppin' til ya dead; dere's only one way ya can stop me. An' ya can barely stand de death of a woman ya didn't love. How ya gonna live wit' killin' _tes cœur_?"_

_He drove her back to the wall with a furry of blows. One of them connected, and his knife sunk deep into her side. He kept her pinned to the wall._

"_Ya ain't de woman I loved. S'obvious she never existed." He tore the knife out, slashing an artery as it exited her body._

_Bella Donna stared up into his eyes and smirked as her blood flowed out of the lethal wound in her side, staining her white silk negligee. "I never loved ya. Doesn't it kill ya dat ya can't say de same?"_

Dat ain't what kills me, Bella.

_She coughed up blood. He stepped away from her, let her slump to the floor. He stared at the woman who he had made his wife. Her blood was literally on his hands._

_By the time he thought to call an ambulance, she was dead./_

Remy couldn't meet Rogue's eyes. He was petrified of what he would find there.

Rogue squeezed his hand reassuringly.

He quickly looked up at her.

A sad half-smiled played around the corner of her mouth. "Ya didn't kill your wife, Remy."

He blinked. "_Non_, I'm pretty sure I did."

Rogue shook her head. "No. Ya killed the woman who lied ta ya and used ya and was goin' ta kill ya and your family. She knew she was gonna do it when she swore ta love, honor, an' obey ya. It takes two people vowin' ta make a marriage. She didn't vow true, she lied, so she wasn't really your wife."

Remy's eyes widened. "I never t'ought of it dat way before." The more he turned it over in his mind, the more it made sense. For some reason, even though he had long since accepted the fact that he had no choice but to kill Bella Donna, the fact that he had killed his wife had bothered him almost as much as how she had betrayed him.

"So…you're not mad at me?"

Rogue snorted, "For what? Actin' ta save your life and the life of your family? Not likely."

She ducked her head and looked up through her lashes at him shyly. "Ah am sorry it hurt ya so bad, though," she said softly.

Remy felt overwhelmed with emotion. Gratitude, respect, love, aching longing…and all of it was his, and it was all directed towards Rogue.

Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on her hand and leaned forward.

Rogue swallowed and shifted away, "What happened next?"

"Well, de Asassins, dey wanted me dead. But m' _pere_--he fought for me. Demanded dat dere be a full inquiry t' back up m' story. Julien's body being in de honeymoon suite was enough t' make enough members of de Guild curious enough t' agree. So dey ransacked t'rough deir t'ings.

"Julien was _fou _enough t' make notes--plans of what he was gonna do once he was de leader of de 'United Guilds.' O' course, in order t' _become_ de leader o' de Assassins, dat would mean dat he would have to kill his _pere_. Didn't seem t' bot'er him too much. Crazy bastard.

"Once Marius found out that his _enfants _were planning patricide, a lot of his defensive feelings evaporated. He had Julien locked up in an insane asylum. Don't t'ink he's out yet.

"So de peace was preserved on contract--m' _pere_ even managed to wrangle out a few more concessions, seeing dat de _T'ieves_ were really de ones wronged in dis case. I was welcome t' stay in N'Awlins, but…dere were just too many memories. Couldn't take it. So I started hiring m'self out, takin' jobs all over de world. Got a nice little stash and started doin' independent work. Set up bases fo' m'self all around de world, did some investing. Very profitable time, fo' de most part.

"Moved back home 'bout a year ago. Was startin' t' go stir crazy so _mon pere _insisted I take a vacation. Den one day I was in a club an' dis real _belle femme_ walked into de room an' started dancin' alone wit' her eyes closed. Thought t' m'self--Remy's gotta meet dis _fille_. Asked her t' dance, she gave me a hard time about it, but I could tell she wanted it," Remy winked at her.

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Ah think Ah can guess what happened from there, thanks."

Remy pouted, "Just when de story was gettin' good, too."

Rogue snorted and shook her head, "What am Ah gonna do with ya?"

_I've got a few ideas. _But he didn't say anything, he just squeezed her hand and smiled at her, then slowly traced a circle on the side of her hand with his thumb.

Rogue flushed, and moved to stand up.

Remy quickly scrambled up to join her, not releasing her hand.

Rogue glanced down at her hand, still locked in his.

"Well."

"Well."

"So now what do we do?"

"Ah should get goin'. Ah'll probably check in today, see if Ah can gather any more information… An' Ah've got a lot of things Ah need ta think through."

He stared at her in disbelief--she had just poured out her heart to him, he had told her one of the most painful experiences of his life, and they found out that she could touch him, and now she was going to leave, get back to business, just like that?

_Maybe she doesn't feel de same way y' do._

_Well den I'll just hafta change dat._

"Fine, but don' y' tink it would look suspicious if dey don't see y' meet me today? Maybe I should come by an' pick y' up later on tonight. We go on a date, talk about what y' found out, make some plans…?"

Rogue nodded, gulped. "Sounds good."

She still hadn't looked him in the eyes since she stood.

Remy forced himself to take a deep breath and look at her, really look at her. He saw fear in the corners of her eyes. She was scared of their touch. Scared she might lose control of herself and do something she'd regret.

She said goodbye.

He was going to be good. He was going to let her go.

Remy brought up her hand and kissed the smooth flesh, savoring the sensation.

She started to turn to leave when suddenly he couldn't take it anymore and burst out, "_Mon Dieu! Queest-ce que je dois faire pour vous montrer combien je vous veux? Je veux vous tenir contre moi, je veux embrasser votre chef, vos yeux captivants, votre nez. Je veux embrasser votre bouche et votre cou. Je vous veux tellement, Rogue. Je ne pense pas que j'ai jamais voulu n'importe quoi ce beaucoup. Vous idiot doux! Vous ne m'employez pas si vous me laissez vous toucher. Vous me donnez l'une chose que je veux plus que le souffle_! " (My God! What do I have to do to show you how much I want you? I want to hold you against me, I want to kiss your head, your captivating eyes, your nose. I want to kiss your mouth and your neck. I want you so much, Rogue. I don't think I've ever wanted anything this much. You sweet idiot! You're not using me if you let me touch you. You're giving me the one thing I want more than breath!)

Rogue blushed, and finally looked up at him. "Umm, Ah probably should have told ya this sooner."

"_Quoi?_" he said, breathing hard and glaring at her. (What?)

"_Je parle français._" she replied in flawless French. (I speak French.)

Remy felt his heart stop.

Then it began to pound again as she took her small hands and placed them on his cheeks. She caressed them lightly for a moment. Then she drew his head down and softly pressed her lips to his.

The kiss remained sweetly innocent for the five seconds it took Remy to get over his shock. Then he put his arms around Rogue and drew her upright against him.

He went as slowly as he could. He deepened this kiss first and then pulled back just enough to place dozens of little kisses along the outline of her mouth. He drew her pouty lower lip into his mouth and sucked on it gently for a moment before releasing it. Then he kissed her hard full on the mouth.

Remy was in absolute euphoria. Kissing Rogue was like nothing else he had ever experienced. She filled up his senses, tantalizing them with her nearness. The pressure of her lips invaded his mind and any experience he had ever had before that moment faded into dim oblivion. He knew he had been upset about some woman a little while ago--why? She wasn't Rogue. Rogue was in his arms, murmuring against his lips for the brief moment they broke apart.

"The next time Ah'm acting like an idiot, say something sooner," she breathed into his mouth.

"_D'accord_," he said huskily, and kissed her deeply. There were no words to express the pleasure he felt as she moaned into his mouth. When she responded to his prompting and gave his tongue entrance, he thought he would have to make up new words and write them down in a secret dictionary for only him and Rogue to share. Then he stopped thinking.

_There are no words for this_, Rogue thought. She was kissing Remy. Why hadn't she let him kiss her sooner? Why hadn't she spent every moment since she found that she could touch him kissing him? It didn't matter now; now she was kissing Remy.

Every pleasure synapse was crackling with electricity, snapping together in a way previously unknown. Her entire body was tingling. It was like the throbbing she felt before she began to dance, but much, much better. It was like the thrill after a long run, but much sweeter. The pleasure went deeper than anything she had ever experienced, and she found herself gasping against his mouth.

He drew away from her lips slowly, and proceeded to begin kissing every place that he said he wanted to. She let him kiss her eyes, let him trail a path down to her nose before she reached up and caught his lips in hers again.

He didn't seem to object.

She wasn't sure how long they stood there kissing, but her brain began to buzz in protest. It simply wasn't used to handling this much sensation. With a protesting moan, she moved centimeters away from him. She already felt cold without him.

He seemed to sense her need for space and regretted it as much as she did. But he tilted his head for a moment and examined her face.

Her lips felt swollen. She wondered for a moment if that was a bad thing. She was suddenly nervous. Sure, it had been wonderful--for her--but for the King of Hearts? Was he going to lose interest?

Then he leaned his forehead against hers and tightened his arms around her. "Dat was amazing," he murmured. "_You _are amazing."

Rogue grinned and sternly told herself that she was _not _crying. Then she wrapped her arms around him and held him close, tucking her head in the crook of his neck.

Remy pulled her as close as possible, closed his eyes, and held her.

* * *

Translations: Ha-ha! I stuck the major ones in there because i felt bad about you having to scroll down! Was that good? Anyway, "fou" is crazy,"tes cœur " is your heart, "D'accord" is okay/agreed, umm "beau-frere" is brother in law, and I can't remember if I left anything out. 

1--A line from Star Wars: A New Hope. If you haven't seen this movie, you should be ashamed of yourself. Couldn't help but put it in, it's applicable to so many situations in life...

AN: Whew, finally got that out! Sorry folks, extreme writers fear. I wanted to make Remy's story good--and it was a lot harder than I thought. Hoped it worked out.So as much as I've enjoyed unfolding some of these mysteries for you, I feel like Discord in Sinbad "Enough talking. More screaming." And then she goes and sends a grffin or something in to disturb Sinbad and Marina's romantic moment. Oh, but I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic moment, and I hope that you did too. Favorite line? That's a hard one...possibly "he thought he would have to make up new words and write them down in a secret dictionary for only him and Rogue to share. Then he stopped thinking." Or "Non, I'm pretty sure I did." Anyways...I really wanted to put this line in after Remy was talking about how _notorious_ he and his cousins were...but it just didn't fit. But I thought I'd share it anyway for your random outake enjoyment: "We feared no one but God…an' m' Tante Mattie."

Reviews are the best motivators! I don't know when I would have gotten this out if it wasn't for my wonderful reviewers! Thank you so much! And be kind--rewind! Wait...that's a different slogan...

Review Responses:

Ishandahalf:   
:Grin: Oh, I'm glad you enjoyed that last chapter. Have a feeling you'll like this one too…Been wondering about your reaction to these two chapters since I had the kiss written way back when I wrote the other one two months ago… Oh, I'm glad you found Mystique's death satisfying, as I was totally creeped out after writing it--was creeped out after writing Bella's death too. (And somehow I got over being creeped out about Bella's death a lot quicker…) But somehow knowing that it was satisfying reassured me. LOL, and yes, having Bella dead and out of the way is much more convenient. So…what do you think?  
:Grin: A zillion gold stars. That's so cool! And shiny!  
WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc :  
Sorry about the cliffy and the wait. Hope it was worth it.  
They-Call-Me-Orange:  
LOL, yeah, that last line was something of a shocker. Though I'm surprised you found Kitty and Mystique's death full of warm fuzzies. But the touching bit certainly filled that bill. I like to end on a warm fuzzy note. As you can tell. Hope you enjoy!  
Eileen B.  
Yes ma'am, I do watch Stargate! Last Hanukah we all got together and bought my dad the season DVDs 1-5. 'Cause sometimes the ScFi Channel just ain't enough. Haven't been able to really see the last two seasons due to schedule conflicts, but I caught the last one and was very confused. I should really go online and try and catch a summary or something…'cause _what happened to Jack and Sam?_ Oo, cool convention. Congrats to you!  
Happy sigh. Star-wars-esque indeed. Though seeing my name in connection with a talk show makes the hackles on the back of my neck raise. And Cajun comforters (great alliteration, btw) make me think of blankets, which makes me think of being completely covered, which leads to bad thoughts…I love your reviews. Glad you liked Kitty and Mystique. You're absolutely right, the triumph thing was pride--glad that her training had worked so well and all that. How messed up is she? But--excuse my ignorance--what on earth is UST? Please tell!  
I had Remy use the 'sweet' line mostly for what follows. But you're right, he does manage to pull off the cheesiest lines.Ah, the famous low whistle line--yes, I rather like that one two. Worked on it to get it just right, glad it worked.  
So glad you enjoyed it! Hope you like this one too.  
Sweety8587:  
LOL, you're too funny. So you're glad that he killed Bella, hmm? LOL, and yes, Remy is very good at cramping complex issues into a nutshell. Getting an explanation out of him takes more work. So glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, hope you enjoyed this one as well!  
bored247:Grin: Glad you liked the touching bit. 10 chapters in, I figure it's about time. Yes, Mystique deserved it. Hope you liked Rogue's reaction to Remy's story. It just sort of popped in out of the blue as I was writing it… :)  
helppuppie:  
Yes, I'm all for killing the bad guys. So, here goes nothing. Remy's story, Rogue's response, and some more Romy. What did you think? Hope you enjoyed!  
enchantedlight:  
Thank you very much! Sorry about the wait.  
wrapped in banana foil:  
:Grin: Thank you! Lol, yes, I love that part, I'm glad you did too. Sorry about the cliffy, and depressed feelings, hope this chapter makes up for it. Can't wait to hear what you think!  
Roguechere:  
How cool is that? Yeah, just because Rogue can touch, I don't think she should go all sensation crazy and give control of her life away for sensation. It just gives her the option to do it, like anyone else. So like anyone else, she has to decide what the touch _means_. 'Course, it's a lot more complicated for her--'cause she's gonna want it so bad and then there's that whole using thing…but anway…  
Glad you liked the touching bit! I like that too! Is it sad that I reread my own fluff? Really, you don't like Kitty? Huh. Well, I'm glad that my Kitty didn't annoy you. I presented her the way I think of her ('course it's been ages since I've seen Evo), so I'm glad you liked her. Yes, sad, sad damaging situations. Life just can't be easy for Superheroes. I think it's one of the Rules.  
So, here's Remy's story--sorry, you're gonna hafta wait more for Bishop. Hope you enjoyed!  
Realtfarraige:  
:Grin: I love your reviews! Right, so--yes, I wanna hold your hand--how cheesy is that? I loved it, I'm glad you liked it too.  
I had a friend in high school who was really into yellow smiley faces. Somehow I picture some of her personality in Kitty. Glad you liked her. She was definitely needed in Rogue's life and missed. And--to quote you--"Gah, she was proud of Rogue killing her, she's a pain in the ass even when you're choking the life out of her." Yes, that's exactly what I was going for! You hit the nail on the head!  
Yeah, I totally approve of your favorite lines (and thank you for telling me them, btw, I love it when people do that!). Of course, she was clenching her first to avoid jumping him…and beating the stuffing out of him. So, yeah, Remy's arrogance is so typically him--it's great to play with. I'm glad you liked how he took it slow. She was in shock, she probably wouldn't have known any different til it was over, so we should all be very proud of him. Yeah, gotta love that force field.  
Yeah, Rogue is probably one of the few people in the world he could tell that to who would recognize the pain it took to do it and not judge him for the act. Lucky him.  
LOL, don't worry, no amount of convincing would make me think I was a deity. I'm just really glad that I was able to bring everyone else into my sense of suspicion--'cause since I've had it in my head for so long, I can never tell if I've pulled it off.  
No, I haven't really read the comics, but I'd like to start. Book one and two, huh? Sounds good…  
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope that you liked this one as well.  
Chained2aMask:  
I mean this sincerely: thank you very much. Writing is just something that I do, and I've been working on it for a while now, though I've never had enough guts to submit an original story anywhere or even to edit it after completion. (Well, that might have to do with the fact that editing is boring and new ideas are much more fun.) So thank you. Your encouragement means a lot.Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!  
Fingers905  
Yeah, another one bites the dust. She deserved it. Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Hope you like this one too!  
Chica De Los Ojos Cafe:  
LOL, no I wasn't trying to give you a heart attack. I take it you liked it, then? Good, I'm glad! Hope that you enjoyed this as well. :Grin: Thanks for the review, it made me grin!  
Kitsu Lebeau:  
Dude, can I have a job like yours? Ah-ha, their touching surprised you did it? Good! That makes it fun! Surprised her too. :evil smirk.: Sorry about the big wait on this chap. Hope that it was worth the wait! Thanks for the review!  
IvyZoe:  
Aww, I'm sorry you broke your arm! Casts in the summer totally stink. Feel better!Lol, yeah, well... Hey, they kiss in this chapter! That's good, right?Your confidence is quite well placed--Rogue's really not the judging type. Yeah, poor Kitty/Wisdom…I don't know if we're going to see more of him or not. How the good guys win in the end isn't completely worked out. (Of course they're going to win! It's a romance!)Hope you enjoyed!  
Lyrit Liltrick:  
Yeah, we're big into SG1 at my house. But I haven't really caught much of these last two seasons--I have late meetings on Friday nights. But I caught it on tape last week and I was like--what? Isn't that John Crighton? And whats-her-name? From Farscape? How'd they get on SG1? And _where's Jack?_ And Sam! And I was confused…so it's more than likely that I just missed that eppy, since it was a new one.  
Congrats on the no more math! Ah, that's a good day…Yes, so I feel like I should be announcing "And heeeeeeere's ROMY!" because, well, here it is.All Emma did in that last chap was her job on the team--she scared people out of the colliseum. We have to wait to find out what's really going on with her. Don't worry, some of her past sins will soon come to light.You know, there's nothing wrong, really, with liking a well written Bella Donna. 'Cause she did get kinda a rough deal. I mean, Remy left her without even asking if she wanted to come with him and Rogue sucked the memories out of her--it's just--well--she's in the WAY! LOL. I'm more annoyed with her than hating her, and in this one I just made her like an evil manipulative Remy. Not that true to her comic character, but it's AU, so that makes it all better, right?Lol, glad you liked those lines. I worked hard on 'em.  
Cat2fat900:  
CAT! YOU'RE BACK! YAY! (Which of course brings to mind that old cartoon/song. Have you ever seen it? I think you would like it. "Now old Mr. Jones had some troubles of his own, the cat came back and wouldn't leave his home, the cat came back, the very next day…" It's all about this guy trying to get rid of this cat until he blows them both up, and, well, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you.) I missed you. Hope you enjoyed camp!  
I'm glad you enjoyed Kitty/Pete. I think they're cute. I hated having to kill her. LOL, yes D-E-N-I-A-L. Otherwise spelt as R-e-m-y-a-n-d-R-o-g-u-e. At least in my fic. I find it makes life interesting. Heh heh, yeah, sad angstiness for Rogue, but she handles it pretty well. Wow, wacking Irene with a brick, huh? I never hated Cody either. What's TMITPWC? Yeah, I don't know the facts about the pulse thing. Really, they couldn't find your pulse? Sometimes it's really hard to do on a wrist. It's easier to find my pulse on my neck…I'm glad you liked Kitty. LOL, you threw Mystique off a cliff. Yeesh, that didn't work out so well the first time…appropriate, though…  
Yes, you picked up on the weapon thing! That's Rogue's major issue with her mutation in this fic. Sure, she hates the 'no touch' thing--but that's just the icing on the cake. The 'no touch' is like confirmation that she was only designed to bring pain. And she doesn't want it to be that way! Poor girl. I feel so bad for her. I know…I think I'll give her Remy. ;)LOL, apologies for making you talk like Kitty. Yeah, it is totally obvious. Aww, I'm glad you really liked the part when he realizes he loves her. I worked hard to make it believable. Yay:smacks forhead: Yes! ProTEST. I can't believe I never caught that! THANK YOU!So…what did you think of this one?  
Erena G.T. Rose  
Yes ma'am, blunt it was! I dunno, I think Rogue handled it rather well. Hope you enjoyed it, tell me what you think!  
Addtothenoise:  
Hey, congrats on the many updates of your stories! They make me happy. Sorry I haven't reviewed them yet, I've been banging my head into trying to get this chapter out for weeks. (Yes, I tend to bang my head into writers block. No, it doesn't always make it better, in fact, it usually just gives me a headache. But SOMETIMES the block breaks.)  
So, what did you think?  
simba317:  
Hey, you're welcome to review my fic any time! ;) In fact, I'm really glad you did--I noticed a while back you had put it on favs, so I'm really glad to hear your opinion!  
Victims of Circumstance is very catching…thanks for telling me about it, I really appreciate the suggestion! I don't think I'm gonna use it though…mostly because I see Remy and Rogue as fighting the things that try to victimize them in this fic, so I don't want to give them that label. But it _is_ very catchy, if you think of anything else please let me know!  
Thanks for reviewing!


	12. Reading into Subtext

**Disclaimer**: I'm not even sure I own _this_ story anymore, it's been so long...

_/I am flashback, hear me roar/_

_

* * *

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Chapter 12: Reading into Subtext

Infiltration. It was one of the first skills that Mystique had taught her.

Deception. It wasn't second-hand to the shape-shifting mutant, it was her life, and she had taught Rogue well.

_There's nothing that can't be accomplished with a straight back and a confident air._

_Just act how they expect you to act._

_They won't stop you if you walk in as if you belong._

_Don't be too busy, don't be too cautious._

_Act as they expect you._

It wasn't just because of her mutant 'gift' that Mystique was able to--and frequently did--murder someone and impersonate them until her purpose was satisfied. She was a keen observer of human-and mutant-nature, and she knew how to pick up on all the little idiosyncrasies, all the eccentricities and habitual unconscious actions that made a person unique. Then she copied them, mimicked them so perfectly that the person was never missed. It wasn't her mutant gift. It was a skill. And Rogue had learned it well.

She never thought she'd be using this skill against her friends. She never thought that the person she'd be imitating was herself.

Because now she had a hidden purpose. Her 'friends' were keeping the truth from her. And she was going to find it.

Rogue approached the post office with her plan still forming in her mind. She _had_ to find out what they were keeping from her. But first, she had to identify the targets. Were they _all_ in on it? Even Tessa, even Hank? She could count Bishop and Carol in for sure and Emma…well, who really knew what went on with the White Queen?

If Tessa and Hank were in on it as well, if her whole team had conspired to keep her in the dark…than the best thing that she could do would be to tell Remy to run for the hills.

_Why are they doing this?_

The only reason Rogue could come up with that made any sort of sense is that her team, _her team_ was doing something that they didn't want her stopping. Whatever it was that didn't bode well. After all, she had done some shady things with them in the past, if what they were planning was so bad that they couldn't even tell her…she had to stop them. It was that simple.

She _would_ stop them.

Rogue barely acknowledged the computer confirming her identity. Step one: determine exactly who 'they' are. She decided to deal with the most difficult target first: Tessa. Rogue sincerely hoped that Tessa wasn't in on this, not only because her friend's betrayal would hurt her deeply, but also because Tessa was one of the best that there was. Ever.

Years before Rogue had been assigned the Hellfire case with Emma on the inside, she had rescued Tessa from a creep named Bogan who bore her a grudge because of how her advice had made him lose a bet and his fortune to the Hellfire king Sebastian Shaw. Rogue had been able to stop Bogan before he did any permanent damage, and once she had freed Tessa and been exposed to how good she was at martial arts, all manner of weapons, not to mention her computer-like mind, she had been shocked that Tessa had managed to get herself kidnapped in the first place. Rogue figured the only reason she needed rescuing at all was because that misanthrope Bogan had possessed the intelligence to keep Tessa drugged when he wasn't kicking the life out of her.

Tessa had felt so indebted to Rogue, even though Rogue had assured her that it wasn't for her, it was just that sadists like Bogan needed to be wiped from the face of the planet, that she had insisted on being brought to FORCE's headquarters and given a place on the team. Since then, her brilliance, ruthlessness, and incredible combat skills had been invaluable. Tessa was an incredible asset and she would be one hell of an opponent. Rogue found herself fervently hoping that she wouldn't have to face her--even with all her powers at her disposal, Tessa would still be able to correctly analyze her moves.

_Unless Ah employ her own powers against her…or if Ah can just drain her. That's really mah only hope._

Thinking about how good Tessa was gave Rogue pause. _She would never conduct something this sloppy and impulsive. Bishop is all gut, even Emma falls prey ta that at times, but Tessa--if she was in on this--there's no way that mah moments wouldn't have been better monitored. Ah would have been called in here after meetin' Remy outside the bar and taken care of in a flash._

Great. So now all she had to do was deceive one of her closest friends whose knowledge of human behavior and nature and ability to simultaneously analyze and compare all of her actions with her previous ones made successful deception a statistical impossibility.

Good thing Rogue never paid any attention to statistics.

_Ah can only hope that they've left her out of it and that she knows she's been left out. Ah know that there's been some trouble in paradise with her and Bishop--maybe Ah can use that._

Rogue took a fortifying breath. _And if she's not with them, and she sees right through me, Ah can use that too. She'll help me, if she's not with them. Ah know she will, even if it's just out of irritation at bein' left out._

She took another moment to put herself completely into character. She was just Rogue, an agent focused on her mission, irritated and intrigued by her target, just stopping by to chat with an old friend before finding Carol to see if there was any change of status since it was now confirmed that she couldn't use her powers on Re--Gambit. Nope, no hidden agendas here. Not a trace of a secret objective.

Rogue let a wry smirk twist her face for a moment again at the sheer irony of it all. She had hoped to never have to deal with betrayal again, and here she was again, going up against her teammates for the sake of a virtual stranger.

_Who lights me on fire with just one gaze. Who can--literally--touch me in a way that no one else can._

A little voice in the back of her head let off a litany of curses in an attempt to distract the rest of her head from going into full flash-back mode.

/_The slow flush of warmth as her lips touched his, spreading through her body like the crashing of the tide…_

_The jolts of pleasure-filled electricity coming from deep in her gut as he traced small kisses around her mouth…/_

_Damnit, Rogue! Concentrate!_

And here she was at the door to Tessa's private wing. _So much for spending any more time planning. Closed off ta telepathy or not, she'll know Ah'm here if that mini-camera on the top right corner of her door has anything ta say about it._

She knocked on the door. "Tessa?"

It swooshed opened, clinical and controlled.

_A straight back and a confident air._

"Hey gal, where are ya?"

"Back here," Tessa's voice called from behind a doorway to the right. Rogue bypassed Tessa's bedroom and stepped into what was affectionately referred to as 'Tessa's Terminal.'

She had on her special red sunglasses and was surrounded by a veritable web of computer screens.

Rogue leaned casually against the doorframe. "Long time, no see."

Tessa smiled up at her while making several rapid adjustments to several different computers. Her voice was as unhurried and calm as if she was painting her nails. "A month, five days, four hours, eighteen minutes, and fifty-tw-three seconds."

_Multitasking while probably handling nuclear control codes. Greeeat. Well, not like it'll matter but Ah can always hope that some of her multitasking will help me out._

"It's really creepy when ya do that, ya do know that, right?" Rogue said on a shudder.

Tessa laughed, "But it's so much fun."

Rogue rolled her eyes. She knew that she was one of the only ones who ever got to see Tessa play.

Tessa's face immediately returned to its usual state of seriousness, but her eyes behind her red glasses held a slight tint of concern and--most tellingly--for a moment her hands stilled on the keys. "I'm sorry, Rogue. I know that yesterday was a difficult day for you. I would have contacted you, but Bishop and Carol were firm in letting you have the space to concentrate on your assignment."

_Ah'll just bet they were. _"Thanks, Tessa. It's OK. Ah didn't do much yesterday besides drink and think. But Ah appreciate the thought." Rogue looked down and clenched her hands together tightly. "It's strange, ya know? Ah mean, first Carol orders me ta go on leave, for mah "emotional well-being." Then just as Ah'm beginning ta relax they call me back for a case that originally it seems like Ah've got nothing ta do with, and once they do put me on it, they won't even tell me what the objectives are."

Rogue paused for half a second, observing Tessa's near impassive response before continuing. It was enough, the seeds had been planted now she had to employ a diversion so they would have enough time to grow, "Ya know, when Carol told me that Ah needed ta take the time off ta recover from after…from when Kitty--Ah really didn't think Ah needed ta, ya know? Ah thought that the best thing ta do would be ta throw myself into work. It turns out she was right. Ah almost wish Ah had never been called back for this case." _Or something like that, anyway…_

Tessa's hands were moving on the keyboard again, "Actually your return was a subject of much debate. But Carol felt that this mission was dangerous enough that it would be beneficial to have the whole team under one roof, as it were, even though both she and Bishop agreed that you wouldn't be working point."

_Interesting… _"You're not doin' much on this op, are ya?"

"No. With Carol, Bishop, and Emma so focused on it, I have been assigned to remain alert to other threats." Tessa gestured to the complex computer network that she had built.

"What do ya think of it?"

"Honestly, I haven't thought of it much. Though I was very interested to hear about the side effect of his powers. How's that going?" Tessa lowered her glasses with one hand and raised her eyebrows.

Rogue didn't have to fake her blush.

"I see." Tessa smirked and shoved her glasses back up her nose. "Is he good?"

"Best Ah've ever had," Rogue said a bit bitterly. Somehow talking about that kiss--those _kisses_--as if they were just a physical experience seemed crass. _But if it wasn't just lust than what did it mean…? _

_Idiot. Now's not the time._

Tessa frowned, "Rogue, you know that I have been unwilling to let down my mental shields since…the incident. And I know that you are also leery of allowing anyone else into your mind. But I want you to know that if it ever comes to a point where you want my help, I will give it to you."

Rogue had to swallow back a lump in her throat. Both of them had experienced having their minds completely ravaged and turned against them. The fact that Tessa was willing to offer this…

_Dang she's good. Message received, Tessa. Message received._

"That means more ta me than ya know, Tess. Ah don't think Ah'm ready ta take such a step yet. But when the time comes, you're the only one Ah'd trust with something like that. Ya better believe Ah'll come ta ya."

Tessa gave a brisk nod. "Good. I'm sure that you'll want to see Carol about the progress of the assignment, but she and Bishop have been holed up in the planning room since this morning and Emma's the only one who's been allowed in or out. Hank's been puttering around the med lab, though. I'm sure he'd be most interested to discuss the side effect of Gambit's mutation from a strictly scientific basis, of course."

Rogue's eyes narrowed. "Ah see. Ah wonder what Carol and Bishop could possibly be plannin' since early this morning."

Tessa gave her a long cool stare over the rims over her sunglasses as her hands sped on the keyboard, "It is more probable that they are arguing. They have disagreed about the handling of this case on eighty-nine percent of every step. That's nearly two hundred forty-eight percent increase."

Rogue crossed her arms, "That could account for the way it's being run."

"And of course, Emma's been giving them a great deal of advice. Bishop in particular." Tessa's voice was completely flat.

Rogue cocked an eyebrow, "How long has _that _been going on?"

Tessa looked down for the briefest of instants before meeting Rogue's gaze again, "Since shortly after you left."

_No exact calculations as a response ta a direct question? Oh Tessa, he's really hurt ya, huh. _

"Anyone who listens ta her is an idiot," Rogue said. _And twice the fool for leaving ya ta do so._

Tessa's lips quirked upwards in a wry smirk, but she said nothing.

The silence stretching between them became almost as weighted as the subtext in their conversations when Rogue decided to break it by saying, "Well, Ah guess Ah'd better go talk ta Hank while Ah can. After that Ah think Ah'm entitled ta a nap before Ah have ta…"

"You have to what?"

_Aw crap. There's such a thing as acting _too _natural, Rogue_. "Get ready for mah date," she mumbled. No point in lying about it. The whole point in him coming to pick her up was for them to be seen together.

If she had been talking to Kitty, there would have been squawking, jumping up and down, clamoring for details, and threatening a shopping trip and quite possibly a complete make-over. But this was Tessa, and her only immediate response was to go absolutely still, hands freezing over the keyboard.

For Rogue, this was equally as frightening.

She already began backing out the door when Tessa turned to her with an absolutely wanton grin and cocked an eyebrow, "Date?"

_Crap, crapity-crap, crap, _crap!

"I think I can help you with that," Tessa said as she calmly removed her red glasses and set them on the table.

_Ah am so dead, _Rogue thought.

XXXXXXXX

Remy LeBeau was sprawled on his extremely comfortable bed in a misbegotten effort to sleep. After all, he had woken up at around the same time as the _sun_ that morning. While late nights and lack of sleep were all part and parcel of the thief gig, something in him rebelled at even the _thought_ of getting up early and it always made him grumpy. But he had done it. For her.

Of course, this morning it had been for him too. He had wanted to know what she knew, what her agency wanted with him. He had wanted to get inside her and break her for attempting to play him like a fool. He had wanted to figure out what was it about her that so intrigued him, to see how much of it was real.

And now he knew--it was all of her and so much more.

This morning it had been all about _his_ pride, _his _prize.

But now, it was all about her. Rogue. Her flushed face and swollen lips--lips that he had wanted to make swell since he saw them--were seared into his mind's eye and whether his eyes were opened or closed he saw them. The feel of her body pressed against his as they embraced…

Remy was on fire.

He had tried all of the usual methods, working out till he nearly passed out, cold showers…now physically exhausted he was lying in his bed trying to sleep and mentally prepare for when he would see her next and all he could do was think about her.

The smell of her…the feel of her…the taste of her… And it was all his and his alone.

He was on fire.

But it wasn't just about the physical, even though the thought of it sent a spasm of pleasurable pain through him and he fisted his pillow and smashed it into his face and groaned. No, Remy felt as if someone had reached in under his ribcage and grabbed hold of part of his heart and tied it to her.

She had met him passion for passion.

/_When she moaned and moved away from him he felt every inch of his being protest. It wasn't _right_ that she should move away, she _belonged_ as close to him as possible._

_But this was the first time someone had touched her in who knew how long and he hadn't just _touched _her. Some primal part of him smirked in triumph as he observed her glazed eyes and puffy lips._

_A look of uncertainty crossed her face, and Remy hadn't even needed his empathy to know exactly what caused it._

_How could he let her know that she was beyond perfect?_

_He gathered her closer to his arms and whispered the smallest fraction of the praise he was ready to pour out on her./_

Remy hadn't wanted to let her go. He knew she had to, knew he had to let her, but it was all that he could do to keep from sweeping her into his arms again as she whispered, "See ya at seven," and swung over the rooftop to climb down the building.

He had clenched the rooftop and watched her descend, choosing to light a cigarette and wait up there until his blood cooled.

He had wanted to go after her, he wanted more, but at the same time he felt elated and…sated. Secure. Remy had loved just having her in his arms.

He never wanted to let her go.

Remy groaned and pounded his face through his pillow.

Could he really have fallen in love? With this woman that he knew for--was it really less than a week? And she was a frickin' _cop_ at that! Not that she was your average cop in any sense of either word.

No, she was beautiful, warm, compassionate, understanding, tough, smart, funny, tantalizing, absolutely amazing…

Yeah, he was in love.

And he would do anything and everything he could to make her his.

XXXXXXX

It was a quarter to six by the time Rogue made it back to her hotel. She had time to shower and get ready for her date, but not think, unless she multitasked and somehow that term had taken on a sour connotation in the past couple of hours.

Tessa was absolutely _devious_.

_Ya would think that after Mystique's frickin' seduction _classes _Ah would be able ta sit down with a friend and talk about…about _men!

Rogue was fairly sure that if it was possible to bust what makes you blush, she would have done it today from sheer over-use.

_But it's not just men…it's him. It's--_Rogue firmly put a clamp down on that thought and marched into the bathroom. Relatively speaking, her relationship "issues" should be on the bottom of her list of concerns.

After managing to escape Tessa, she had gone to visit Hank in the lab. Tessa's implication that Hank hadn't set foot out of the lab all week was more than amply justified. He had been happy to see her, but it was evident that he was not involved with whatever was going on with Carol and Bishop and Emma. Not only was he uninvolved, he was completely oblivious to anything outside of his most recent experiment. Geniuses.

But apparently he wasn't _too_ caught up in his experiment, because when she mentioned the mission he immediately asked about the "most recent development" regarding the side-effects of Gambit's powers. And somehow he was still perfectly capable teasing her about it and dispensing several noteworthy big-brotherly growls.

_Scientific interest in the side effect of Gambit's mutation mah ass._

Rogue wondered if her skin could permanently turn pink.

She was massaging the shampoo into her hair positively violently.

_Stop that. Ya have time. This isn't really a _date _anyway, it's a business meeting with a man that ya happen ta find desperately attractive who can touch ya--_

_Ya are SO not helping._

_So concentrate on what ya can bring ta the table. What did ya learn today?_

Rogue forced herself to take a deep breath and let the pounding hot water sooth her for a moment before rinsing out her hair.

_Tessa knows something's going on, she knows that it has ta do with me, but she's not doing anything about it because she's still loyal ta Bishop even though he left her for that skank Emma Frost but she's willing ta back me up if Ah make a move. Ah can count on her help. _

_Ah could commission her ta find out what's going on, but it's obvious that she doesn't feel comfortable doing that. She'd still do it, but at the moment they're just as suspicious of her as they are me, but they don't know Ah'm working with her. Ah'd rather keep her as mah Ace-in-the-hole._

_Strategically speaking, Ah'm in a good position. They're not fully trusting me, but they're not sure what Ah do or don't know. And there's division in the ranks--Bishop and Carol. And Ah'm sure that Emma's only adding ta it. Ah can't imagine her bein' concerned for anyone else's interests._

_There's definitely good room ta maneuver here._

Conditioned, and rinsed, Rogue was on automatic pilot until she stood in front of her suitcase.

_What am Ah goin' ta _wear?

She had no idea what they were going to do or where they were going. Sure, _Remy _could touch her--

_/His hand slid across her cheek as he caressed her tears away. Warm, calloused, glorious skin touching her own--/_

_Damn it! Concentrate!_

Remy could touch her, but no one else could. So if they were going out, she couldn't very well wear just her red halter top and black leather pants, now could she? And she didn't _want_ to cover the halter top over with the loose knit black shirt.

She could wear the dress--long bell sleeves, sexy slit high on the side while her legs were protected by pantyhose and a somewhat daring neckline…

But she didn't _want_ to seduce him, did she? And what if he was planning something active, or if he brought his motorcycle.

_Mmm, his motorcycle…_

Rogue let off a stream of truly inventive curses, and the dress ended up on the floor behind her. She had a little over a half an hour before he came and she had to find something to wear, fix her hair, figure out what she was going to say to him--oh, and make-up would probably be a good idea too.

_Why am Ah making such a big deal about this? _she asked herself as she stood there still undecided. _Ah just need ta calm down and pick something before he walks in here and sees me in nothing more than this towel._

And the stream of thoughts that followed _that_ particular brilliant piece of advice were not at all conducive to calming down and concentrating on important things, like getting dressed.

She finally decided on her leather pants, red halter top, and loosely knit black shirt to cover the halter top. Of course, it _would_ be the first outfit she had picked out.

Her hair had dried curled while she had been frantically sorting through her clothes. A glance at the clock assured Rogue that she did _not_ have time to straighten it.

So she plugged in her curling iron and applied quick make-up while it warmed up, then used the iron to enhance a few choice curls to make a smoother, more sophisticated look.

_Of course, if you're lucky none of this is going will stay this way for long, _a wicked voice in the back of her head spoke up as she surveyed herself in the hotel's full length mirror.

Damn. Her blush hadn't been busted.

_Ah am _not _going ta sleep with him. Ah will _not _be just another one of his conquests, _she lectured her little voice fiercely.

_Did it seem like ya were just another conquest when he held ya in his arms today?_

_No, an' that's why he's so good at what he does, _she growled back at it._ So just shut up._

_Just for the record, Ah didn't say anything about sleeping with him, just about letting him touch ya. That other bit was all ya. _

Rogue had long since come to the conclusion that it wasn't wrong to hate the voices in her head. But it was a little perturbing when the annoying voice was her own.

Rogue lay her forehead on the mirror and muttered, "Ah don't know how, but Ah am going ta get through this. Ah am."

_Maybe ya don't need ta do it by yourself this time, _the voice suggested hesitantly.

_Ya are _so _not helping, _she thought back at it.

Rogue shoved herself away from the mirror and glanced around. Clothes were strewn all over the room, her usual neatness gone to heck. It was about two minutes to seven. There was no way that she would be able to clean all this up in time without using superspeed and therefore completely messing up her hair. Telekinesis might do it…but heck, she just didn't want to deal with this mess right now. She'd meet him downstairs.

Stuffing her Smartpad into her bag and making sure that she threw in her lipstick and key, Rogue exited her hotel room.

She made it down to the front door just as Remy opened it to enter, bumping into him.

His hands immediately went to her upper arms to steady her and she shuddered, feeling hot and cold from the contact all at once.

"_Chere_?"

_Deep breaths, Rogue. Ya can do this. _

She looked up at him with a wry half smile and froze at what she saw in his eyes--even through that false brown they were smoldering.

_Too close, he's too close! _She panicked and stepped away from him, causing him to drop his hands to his sides.

Rogue didn't imagine the hurt in his eyes, and she immediately felt like dirt. "Ah'm sorry. Guess Ah'm a little jumpy."

A slow, lazy smile spread across his face. It caused a warm heat to spread from her stomach to the tips of her toes. But her heart paused as she recognized that smile--it was the smile of a falcon looking at its lunch.

_Oh…damn…_

His eyes left hers to trace a searing path from her feet to her face. Rogue could almost feel him touching her. She was having trouble breathing.

"Y' look beautiful," he said simply, never taking his eyes off her.

Rogue forcibly tweaked one side of her mouth up in acknowledgement. If she forced any sound past her vocal cords, it would only come out in a nervous squeak and she was certain that would only incite the falcon further.

He held out his hand to her and she placed her--mercifully--gloved hand in his.

He frowned when he felt the leather, cocking one eyebrow at her in question.

"Other people," Rogue said softly, not wanting to explain further. She was ridiculously proud of the evenness of her tone.

Remy's mouth quirked and she couldn't help but be drawn to it, remembering the feel of it pressed against her own.

He noticed, of course he noticed, and something in his face gentled. He drew her still gloved hand up to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on the back of the leather, his eyes never leaving hers.

Little electric sparks fizzled out of her heart and careened against her lungs, enabling her to breathe again, if painfully.

"Let's go," he said. His voice was warm, rich, and inviting like dark chocolate and she knew she was in terrible danger of forming an addiction.

But she could barely muster up enough strength to curse in the back of her mind at the thought. Instead, she was thinking about how much she enjoyed chocolate…

_Ah am in _so _much trouble._

He led her outside to where he had parked his bike, replaced the bolt that he always took out of it, and slid on with one fluid motion.

"Y' ready for our date?" Remy asked as he revved his black Harley.

Rogue stared at the entrancing picture of the incredibly handsome man in front of her, waiting for her. His hair was perfectly tussled and fell over his face complementing the sharp angles and plains beautifully. He seemed to just _fit_ on that motorcycle, like the incarnation of every secret hope and fantasy she had ever had. And when he turned off his image inducer and revealed his eyes...

_Just shoot me now.  
_

_

* * *

_

AN: Well, that's it folks, our boy is in love. Our girl is still a little confused and a mite suspicious, but hey, they haven't had their date yet! Don't worry, it'll be a good long date. At least two chapters. (Just so y'all know, this story is staying T (though I would probably feel more comfortable considering it PG15).)  
A brief note about Tessa: I hope you guys liked her, I had so much fun writing her.I don't know her well, so I hope it wasn't _too _OCC, 'cause I think she rocks. Also, this time she was rescued before Bogan's torture got really bad--no tear drops, no need for illusion--but it was bad enough, especially how she got there, for her to make her mind impenetrable. Rogue let Tessa kill him on their way out. Two gun shots-head and heart. In my stories, bad guys die.  
I think I need to say a few words about Rogue's response to Remy's revelations in the previous chapter. One of the reasons why I think that Rogue always flips out on Remy when he tells her that he's married/engaged, whatever is because he very rarely TELLS her and if he does it's well after they've already established a relationship. This Rogue doesn't feel like she has a claim on him, she's only known him about a week and they're still very much in the 'getting-to-know-you' stage.  
The reason I have for her so calmly accepting the cause of his wife's death is twofold. One--she needs him, she's not going to isolate him. Two--you ever sit and listen to two vets talk about the war or two cops talk about a shoot-out or a how they had to take down a criminal? It's like they slip into a completely different world where the grotesque and horrendous is completely _normal_. That's what she's relating it back to, that's how she's been living since she was _twelve_. Plus, it's not like Belle gave him much of a choice.  
I know, I know how long it's been. I assure you that I'm back now. And I'm sorry, and I'm sorry for the cliff hanger, I would have written more but these past two days have not gone as expected. Therefore in keeping with my promise to get this up on Monday--at least it's before I go to sleep--I really _can't _write review responses now, but I plan on putting them in tomorrow, so if you've asked specific questions, expect answers then.  
Fav line: "And the stream of thoughts that followed _that_ particular brilliant piece of advice were not at all conducive to calming down and concentrating on important things, like getting dressed."

Until then, special thanks to _Roguechere, Chica de los Ojos Café, Cat, simba317, WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc, addtothenoise, Realtfarraige, ishandahalf, wrapped in bannana foil, rajincajunlover, Sweety8587, bored247, rubic-cube, toxic touch 727, Chained2aMask, tigerfreako1, rave, Eileen, Celtic Dancer, Kitsu Lebeau, punkrogue, Lyrit Liltrick, EarthGurdian, Dark Anime Love, Fingers905, and Rogue4787_! You guys rock!

**Poll:** As most of you know, I've never really liked the title of this story. I've received some wonderful suggestions from simba317 and ivyzoe, and I've decided to ask for your opinion. I'm going to list the titles here, along with some that I have thought of, and I'd like you to just put the number that you like best down in your review please, just so I could get a good idea. I really appreciate it, thanks! 1. Shall We Dance; 2. The Art of Reversals; 3 Quixotic; 4. Turning the Tables; 5. Playing for Keeps; 6. I Spy; 7. Spy Games... Thanks again, y'all!


	13. It's Been a Long Day

**Disclaimer**: Despite the fact that it is Christmas (and Hanukah!), I did not receive Remy, Rogue, or any part of the X-Men under the tree. However I was told that if I put that lump of coal under a lot of pressure eventually I would get a diamond...

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: It's Been a Long Day 

Remy brought his motorcycle to a stop in a private indoor garage.

"Where are we?" Rogue asked. "Ah didn't see any restaurants around here."

Remy eased off the motorcycle and turned to face her. He tried an inviting grin but Rogue could see a hint of nervousness in the way that he shifted his weight.

_Why do Ah have a _very _bad feeling about this?_

"I was t'inking dat, since we probably wanted t' discuss t'ings dat weren't exactly _public_ dat we would need a more secure setting. An' de most secure place in dis city is right here, in m' apartment. So, how about it, Rogue? Dinner at my place?"

_Bad idea, Rogue. Baaad idea. Alone with Remy LeBeau in his apartment? Just how much business do ya think you'll actually discuss, hmm? _

"Ah understand how your place would be more _private_," Rogue said. "But how secure can ya actually be in shared apartment building?"

Remy gave her 'the look.' It was the patented, 'if you knew who you were talking to you wouldn't be asking that question' answer that professionals of all spheres of life employed whenever they felt their expertise was being questioned.

"It's secure enough," he said. "An' b'sides. I already put dinner on. Y' don' want t' make all my effort go to waste, do y'?"

Puppy dog eyes. He had to pull the puppy dog eyes. _Oh _very_ clever. Yes, you're just an innocent lil' boy all nervous about asking a gal up ta your place… Well, Ah guess he knew that if he pulled his usual seductive act right about now Ah'd hi-jack his bike an' high-tail it out of here…_

Rogue knew that she hadn't been able to hide how tense she was; she hadn't even been able to relax during the drive. Remy was evidently willing to try every trick in the book to get her up there. She had to give him points for perseverance and creativity. She never would have imagined the Prince of Thieves giving her _puppy dog eyes_.

Her sigh was almost involuntary. "What are ya makin'?"

_Now really. That painfully excited face is _almost _overdoing it_, Rogue barely held back her smirk as Remy scrunched up the corners of his eyes in hopeful enthusiasm.

"I'm fryin' some catfish and I've put on a pot of m' famous gumbo."

_Catfish. Damn_. "All right. But don't get any ideas."

His innocent expression melted into the smirk that she was far more familiar with as he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up off the bike, setting her in front of him.

"Don' worry," Remy said, his hot breath tickling the back of her neck.

Rogue swallowed.

Remy kept his hand on the small of her back and gently escorted her to a private elevator in the corner of the garage.

"'m _way_ past de gettin' stage, _chere_," his voice was a low rumbling murmur that she felt twist around her stomach. "I get anymore an' I'm liable t' burst."

The elevator _dinged_ shut and Remy pushed the button for the third floor.

Rogue stepped out of his touch. "Ya didn't take the bolt out of your bike."

Remy crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "Anyone gets in dis building an' manages t' get dat bike wit'out me knowin' deserves it."

The part of Rogue that was always uncomfortable about being involved in an op she hadn't fully planned relaxed a little at his words. Nothing spoke more about the security of the building than Remy's willingness to risk his prized motorcycle.

_Ding_ and the elevator door swooshed open.

"Ladies first," Remy gestured her forward with a flourish.

"You're such a gentleman," Rogue said.

"'bout time ya started noticin' dat," Remy's hand found the small of her back again and he led to the left of the wide and well-lit hallway.

"Dis whole building is Guild property," he commented as they stopped at the first door. "Dis floor belongs to m' family, but I'm de only one dat spends any amount of time in dis city. So I've made it my own; m' home base y' might say."

Remy released his light touch on her back and held his hand out in front of her. He flicked his wrist and suddenly in his hand appeared a lock-pick.

He didn't turn back to her to see if she was impressed with his theatrics, simply turned with a smirk to a small slot beside the door.

"Don' hold much with locks, as a general rule," Remy said as he stuck the hand with the lock picks in the slot. "Security systems are a bit more complicated, but dere's none dat can't be got around. Dis one is a bit of a family specialty. Ya stick your hand in de slot an' while de scanner is matchin' up your hand wit' de records, y' have t' pick de lock of de day. Y' have until de scan is complete, after dat-"

There was an audible _click_ and Remy's door swung open the slightest bit.

"-de system goes into effect. Dere's a small blade in de slot dat comes down at de wrist an' den de rest of de system goes off."

Rogue was irritated at the small sense of relief she felt when Remy pulled his hand out of the slot unscathed.

"Ta-da," Remy said, turning to her with a proud smirk, his lock pick disappearing back up his sleeve.

"That seems a bit excessive for your own home."

"Not at all," Remy said as he opened the door fully. "It's encouragement t' stay at de top of m' game. T'ings can get so boring wit'out a little challenge, don' y' agree?"

"Ah don't think Ah've ever found it necessary ta create mah own challenges," Rogue said.

Remy grinned at her, "Y' should try it sometime. It helps y' to not take de real ones so seriously."

They entered his apartment.

The first word that came to mind when she saw Remy's apartment was 'spacious.' There was a short foyer containing an intricate wrought iron coat rack that immediately bloomed out into two large rooms, separated only by the deviation of floor height. Indented and to her immediate right was a sitting room with inviting leather furniture and a deep plum carpet. There was a closed door in the closest corner of the room, opposite to a modest mahogany bar on the far right of the sitting room. Directly after the bar was an open hallway painted a vibrant shade of red that she could see led into some sort of computer room. There was a metal bar hung across the far opening of the hall. The sitting room was differentiated from the hard wooden floor of the dining room by a small step, and Rogue was not very surprised to see an oval table with intimate place settings and candles just waiting to be lit. The walls of the dining room were a muted gold, but they were hardly noticed over the stunning paintings that were displayed. Rogue wondered briefly if that was an original Monet and then decided it wasn't worth asking the question. Parallel to the dining room table was the kitchen, which was set slightly higher than the dining room itself. The kitchen was large, with plenty of counter space and she could see a full spread of cutlery hung upon the ice-yellow walls.

_Five exits, forty-three easily accessible weapons and eight surveillance tapes… _Rogue frowned. Even when she was in a situation where she felt fairly comfortable, she just couldn't shut it off. _Forty-four. Crack that porcelain lamp on the coffee table and the remnants should be sharp enough ta disembowel… This is just great. Ah'm on mah first _real_ date, in the man's _apartment_ no less an' all Ah can think of his how ta kill him an' escape if necessary. _

Remy shut the door after them and tossed his infamous trench coat on the coat rack and turned to her with a genuine smile.

Rogue was so surprised at the lack of smirk that despite her mood she found herself returning it.

"Ya can take dose off now, Rogue," Remy said, gesturing to her gloves.

_Then again, considering _whose _apartment Ah'm in, keeping all mah options open isn't the worst idea Ah've ever had._

"What makes ya think Ah'd want ta do that?" she said.

Remy rolled his eyes and walked over to her, deliberately invading her space.

She looked up at him defiantly.

One side of his mouth twitched upwards as he took her hand in his and then placed it, still gloved, on his cheek. Holding her hand to his face, he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her bare forehead.

Rogue shuddered.

His hand left hers to smooth back her hair while his other hand encircled her waist, drawing her gently against him.

His mouth trailed a hot path down to her ear, and he whispered, "Rogue, _chere_, you're being an idiot." His tongue darted out and briefly caressed her lobe before he bit it gently and then pressed a kiss to it.

She let out a nervous laugh.

He grinned and pulled her closer to him. "Trust m' a little, won't ya?" he whispered, pulling away from her ear to stare into her eyes.

Rogue nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "A little."

He grinned at her again, aching to kiss her lips, but instead he stepped away, and taking her hand in his, removed her glove slowly, finger by finger.

Remy let the glove drop to the floor. "Ya don't need t' wear dese around me. Ever. _Comprenez_?"

And he lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed the base of each finger right above the knuckle before turning the hand gently up and placing a kiss in the center of her palm.

Again, Rogue nodded.

"_Bien_," Remy said. With great reluctance, he released her hand. He was exercising a lot of self control to not just sweep her away then and there. But now that he could touch her, now that she was trusting him, _needing_ him, he was back on more familiar territory. Tonight she would be his, and then he just had to make sure that he would be able to keep her every day after that.

"Have a seat," Remy said as he moved into the kitchen.

"Can Ah do anything ta help?" Rogue found her voice as Remy settled a red apron over his black silk shirt and leather pants.

Remy sent her a scintillating smile, "_Non, cherie. _Y' just sit back an' relax, let ol' Remy handle t'ings."

"And we're back ta third person," Rogue muttered as she sank into the plush carpet of the sitting area. _Must be in case he couldn't make it ta the bedroom,_ she thought with a twist of her lips. Rogue set her purse down on the glass and walnut coffee table and went to sit in the leather love seat.

"Dere's some wine I took out on de bar in de corner," Remy called from the kitchen.

_Wine. As if the situation wasn't volatile enough, let's mix in some alcohol. Wee!_

"Actually, Ah'm in the mood for lemonade," Rogue called back. "D'ya have any?"

"Suppose I could make some," Remy's voice came from the kitchen sounding mildly disgruntled.

Rogue smiled to herself. "No, don't trouble yourself. Ah wouldn't want ta put ya out."

She could have sworn she heard muttering all the way from the kitchen, but it was soon drowned out with the loud clanging of pots and pans.

Giving in to temptation, Rogue kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet under her on the chair. Before curling up completely, Rogue reached over to her purse and took out her Smartpad. It wouldn't hurt to go over the information that she had on his case one last time, to try to form some sort of idea of how she was going to present the problem to him…

Remy was whistling. The corner of her mouth turned up; it was cute. She stretched and settled a little more comfortably into the chair.

It _was_ a comfortable chair, she'd give him that. And the noise coming from the kitchen was strangely melodic. And this was the first she had stopped to breathe all day. Before she had consciously made the decision, Rogue stretched out and dropped the Smartpad back on the coffee table. She'd just close her eyes for a little bit. Even if she fell asleep, she knew that she'd wake as soon as someone else entered the room.

_And if he complains, well, he asked me ta trust him, didn't he? What better way ta show him that trust than… _

When Remy came out to check on his guest, he found that she had fallen asleep on his loveseat. Her hair had fallen in a tumble of white curls across her cheek and what he could see of her face was still vaguely tense and wary. Something about that tugged at his heart--hard. Even when she was asleep, she wasn't able to let down her guard.

_De fact dat she would fall asleep at all…_

It was almost dinner time, but he'd let her rest until then. After all, he doubted that _she _could claim the luxury of an afternoon nap. She had been so insistent on getting right back to work…

The warmth that he had been trying so hard to keep away shot through his gut at the memory of _exactly_ how he had persuaded her to stay on the roof just a few more minutes.

Before the temptation to wake Rogue up and see if she was willing to repeat the performance overwhelmed him, Remy idly picked up the clear sheet of plastic near Rogue on the coffee table.

At his touch, the plastic immediately altered, a black screen appeared showing a list of about five subject under the heading "Operation 18."

As fascinating as the transformation of the plastic sheet was, what interested Remy the most was that his name was prominently featured on that list.

He assumed that since Rogue had brought the pad with her and left it out that she meant to show it to him, but who knew _what_ she was going to show him?

Remy shifted to look at her speculatively, noticing that she was lightly grasping a stylus in one hand.

_Dat's interesting…_

Like any self-respecting thief, he took the stylus dangling from Rogue's hand so smoothly that the sleeping woman didn't even stir.

He settled quietly on the couch next to her and quite unashamedly clicked the stylus onto his name. A short list appeared: "Known Contacts," "Probable actions," and "Recent History."

_First t'ings first._

He clicked on "Known Contacts" and was surprised to see a large color photo of himself and a redhead pushed against the side of a building. He noticed that there was a small arrow on the bottom of the screen. Clicking on it revealed another photo, this time revealing only his profile as he had buried his nose in the blonde's hair. He quickly clicked on the next photo and the next to find that each picture captured him and a different girl in various intimate positions.

_How did dey get all dese pictures? I don't remember feelin' anyone following me… An' I _always _know when people are following me! _

Remy was staring at the picture in front of him so intensely, thinking back over to when it was taken and trying to figure out who could possibly have taken the photograph that he barely noticed when Rogue came stand beside him. She leaned over him to see what he was looking at.

The last time Remy had felt this uncomfortable he had been ten and his Tante Mattie had caught him stealing her freshly baked pralines.

"Do ya remember her name?" Rogue asked casually.

"No," he said, feeling a little ashamed of himself. It was one thing to sleep with dozens of women. It was another thing to sit across from the woman that you loved and had every intention of making your own as she watched you flip through the pictures of old lovers, half of whom whose name you couldn't even remember. He quickly looked up to catch her reaction.

There was not a flicker of pain or jealousy. Her face was completely blank, mildly understanding.

He glanced back down of the picture of him necking with some brunette. He felt a little sick. Some part of him warned that her blank face would cause more trouble than a thousand temper tantrums, but he didn't know how to head it off.

"Dis is awkward," he said.

Rogue cocked an eyebrow.

"Don' usually go t'rough a list of m' past lovers on de first date," Remy attempted to joke.

"Ah didn't realize that ya often bothered with _dates_," Rogue said, stepping away from him and sliding back into the love seat, her face still utterly placid.

"Y' jealous, _chere_?" He wasn't exactly sure what he expected her response to be, but he wanted the conversation on more familiar territory. He wanted her jealous, stirred up, yelling at him. Anything was better than this unnatural calm.

"Ah don't have any reason ta be," she said with a wry twist of her lips and a slight shrug of her shoulders.

Remy was about to challenge her response when the beeping of the oven timer interrupted them.

"Time for dinner," Remy said. He slid the pad onto the coffee table then stood up, offering his arm. "Shall we?"

Rogue nodded and stood as well, walking past his extended arm into the dining room.

* * *

Translations: comprenez: Understand, Bien: Good 

AN: Merry Christmas! I'm sorry, this is shorter than I wanted, which means the date will probably need an extra chapter, but the good news is that I should be able to deliver it to you some time next week! (Assuming the pesky problem with my computer is fixed by then. For some strange reason, my laptop isn't receiving energy from the cord without _severe_ encouragement. Looks like it's time for a return trip to Best Buy…) Check my profile for anticipated update information and other news. Apologies for how long it's taken me to update this story, for fan fiction I've been working almost exclusively on "A Comedy of Letters." But now they are both at an even place of interest for me (which is very) and also about a similar level of difficulty (which is _hard_), so you can expect more even-handed updates. And Happy Holidays, everyone! (If I didn't get to your review tonight, I'll do it in the morning. If you reviewed anonymously, check my profile in the afternoon on the 26th! Thanks again for letting me know what you think, guys. Feedback is very much appreciated.)  
Fav line: _Then again, considering _whose _apartment Ah'm in keeping all mah options open isn't the worst idea Ah've ever had._


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